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Op-Ed:
‘Just get the damn shot’
It’s the seemingly
never-ending pandemic. As soon as we adapted to the delta variant, along came
omicron. Sounding like a killer
parasite in an early Michael Crichton novel, the latest COVID variant has
people scared, but apparently not scared enough for the unvaccinated to get
the vaccine. |
Release Date:
November 15, 2021
WASHINGTON -- President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act today. The legislation takes decisive action, allowing $1.2 trillion to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen the nation’s resilience, including underserved communities that are most vulnerable.
The threat from climate change cannot be overstated and this Act provides $6.8 billion that FEMA will invest in communitywide mitigation to reduce disaster suffering and avoid future disaster costs in the face of more frequent and severe events arising from wildfires and droughts to hurricanes, tornados and floods.
“The pace and severity of natural disasters in this country are undeniably increasing. The resources required to respond and recover from these events requires bold action from across the federal government,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
“The bipartisan infrastructure deal provides FEMA an additional $6.8 billion to continue to address climate change through mitigation projects and establishes a new Cybersecurity Grant program. These resources will greatly assist in our Agency’s rigorous efforts to help communities build resilience and bolster their preparedness for future events.”
These funds are complementing previous award programs that FEMA has amplified to make the nation more resilient. In August 2021, FEMA committed $3.46 billion through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program across the 59 major disaster declarations issued due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. FEMA also committed $1.16 billion earlier this year for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance grant programs in the Fiscal Year 2021 application cycle.
In line with the White House’s Justice40 Initiative created by the Executive Order 14008 in January 2021, these investments will advance environmental justice, reduce community disaster vulnerability, promote individual and community safety and strengthen our ability as a nation to adapt to changing conditions.
Highlights
FEMA is establishing guidelines to access this significant influx of funding and looking forward to collaborating and supporting state, local, tribal and territorial partners to implement this additional funding.
The Act enables FEMA to take action now so that individuals and communities will be better positioned to adapt to climate change and recover more quickly. The impacts are alarming, and the suffering of those impacted by a disaster is devastating, especially for socially vulnerable populations who are disproportionately affected. This Act supports FEMA’s focus and commitment to help make disadvantaged communities more resilient.
The threat from climate change cannot be overstated and this Act will fund mitigation actions that will directly impact the future. We must move away from incremental mitigation measures and focus on system-wide critical lifelines and large projects that protect infrastructure and community systems. Mitigation actions and more resilient infrastructure means communities will be safer from the impacts.
Flood Mitigation Assistance
FEMA makes federal funds available through the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program to states, local communities, tribes and territories to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program.
The Act provides $3.5 billion in Flood Mitigation Assistance grants over five years -- $700 million per year, for Fiscal Years 2022 – 2026. In previous years, the annual grant cycle for the Flood Mitigation Assistance program ranged from $150-$200 million a year. The Act more than triples the amount available for future flood mitigation.
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) supports states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.
The Act provides $1 billion over five years, which is in addition to the funding FEMA provides through setting aside up to 6% of the assistance the agency provides following major disaster declarations through the Public Assistance and Individuals and Households Program. The funding is based off an estimated 180 days after each declaration and does not include funding made available through the Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs.
Dam Safety
Dams play a vital role in the nation’s overall infrastructure. They contribute to the economic development of the United States and to the social welfare of the American public. For the next five years, $733 million is awarded to FEMA in dam safety grants to states and territories to enhance dam safety and rehabilitate or remove aging dams.
Safeguarding Tomorrow Through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act
The STORM Act was signed into law on Jan. 1, 2021 and authorizes FEMA to provide capitalization grants to states or eligible tribal governments to establish revolving loan funds to provide hazard mitigation assistance to local governments to reduce risks to disasters and natural hazards.
The Infrastructure Act provides $500 million to the STORM Act, or $100 million per year for five years. This new FEMA grant program may finance water, wastewater, infrastructure, disaster recovery, community and small business development projects.
Cyber Security
The Biden administration also recognizes strong cyber security practices are needed to support states, local communities, tribes and territories. The Act provides $1 billion over the next four years in a whole-of-nation effort to combat cyber threats and enhance cybersecurity grant programs.