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  4. Biden Administration Commits Historic $3.46 Billion in Hazard Mitigation Funds to Reduce Effects of Climate Change

Biden Administration Commits Historic $3.46 Billion in Hazard Mitigation Funds to Reduce Effects of Climate Change

Release Date: August 5, 2021

FEMA makes hazard mitigation program funds from coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic available nationwide

WASHINGTON – President Biden today approved more than $3.46 billion to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change nationwide. This significant investment will be available for natural hazard mitigation measures across the 59 major disaster declarations issued due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

With the growing climate change crisis facing the nation, FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will provide funding to states, tribes, and territories for mitigation projects to reduce the impacts of climate change. Every state, tribe, and territory that received a major disaster declaration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible to receive 4% of those disaster costs to invest in mitigation projects that reduce risks from natural disasters. This influx of funding will help communities prioritize mitigation needs for a more resilient future, including underserved communities that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. These projects can help address effects of climate change and other unmet mitigation needs, including using funds to promote equitable outcomes in underserved communities

“The Department of Homeland Security is committed to helping build stronger and more resilient communities that are prepared for future disasters,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “States, tribes, territories, and localities will now receive the funding needed to treat the climate crisis with the sense of urgency it demands. Through this funding, communities across the nation will have the critical resources needed to invest in adaptation and resilience, and take meaningful action to combat the effects of climate change. This funding will also help to ensure the advancement of equity in all communities, especially those that are disproportionately at risk from climate change impacts.”

"Climate change is our country’s biggest crisis. Our communities will continue to suffer from losses caused by extreme weather events unless we invest in mitigation efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change. This new funding is a tangible solution that we can implement today to help prevent against future risk disasters. It will allow us to provide direct aid to states, tribes, and territories to complete mitigation projects, strengthen our infrastructure, identify long term solutions to these hazards and ultimately make a real difference in our communities,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

Communities across the country have been impacted by the enormous effects of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and other events. The increasing duration, intensity, and severity of such disasters—which are exacerbated by climate change as well as changes in population, land use, and weather patterns—are alarming and devastating, especially for underserved populations.

For eligible mitigation projects, HMGP funding can cover 75% of total project costs and states or communities cover the remaining share. Preparing and mitigating for the impacts of climate change, which is one of the most important threats facing the United States, requires the full collaboration of the Federal Government to support state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.

The FEMA Mitigation Action Portfolio includes examples of innovative mitigation projects that address many types of natural hazards and emphasize the importance of collaboration between governments, private sector entities, and non-governmental organizations in order to achieve effective hazard mitigation and disaster resilience. For example, mitigation projects can:

  • Reduce risks associated with climate change, such as wildfires, drought, increased flooding, and coastal erosion, through the use of nature-based features, such as storm water parks, living shorelines, and land conservation.
  • Address persistent residential vulnerabilities by mitigating repetitive loss structures affected by flooding.
  • Help utilities or other critical facilities adapt to future conditions and reduce risks, through microgrids, seismic and wind retrofits, flood protection, and other infrastructure protection measures.

This one-time investment represents a 23% increase in the funding made available for declared disasters since the program’s inception. Over the past 30 years, this program has made more than $15 billion available to states, tribes, and territories to make communities more resilient and reduce risks from future disasters.

For more information, please visit FEMA.gov.

DR # Recipient Total
HMGP Allocation by State, Tribe and Territory
4480DR New York $378,128,107
4481DR Washington $113,424,988
4482DR California $484,383,864
4483DR Iowa $19,463,694
4484DR Louisiana $78,005,056
4485DR Texas $666,134,283
4486DR Florida $185,056,086
4487DR North Carolina $63,758,987
4488DR New Jersey $148,647,976
4489DR Illinois $77,225,184
4490DR Missouri $25,107,641
4491DR Maryland $93,289,392
4492DR South Carolina $39,039,353
4493DR Puerto Rico $42,172,793
4494DR Michigan $51,792,820
4495DR Guam $6,052,983
4496DR Massachusetts $110,760,576
4497DR Kentucky $22,845,923
4498DR Colorado $70,395,919
4499DR Oregon $43,442,773
4500DR Connecticut $20,244,884
4501DR Georgia $78,691,416
4502DR District of Columbia $17,379,665
4503DR Alabama $27,226,688
4504DR Kansas $9,004,669
4505DR Rhode Island $26,828,651
4506DR Pennsylvania $63,714,713
4507DR Ohio $46,074,096
4508DR Montana $5,728,787
4509DR North Dakota $12,389,894
4510DR Hawaii $24,740,226
4511DR Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Island $3,133,540
4512DR Virginia $62,005,907
4513DR Virgin Islands $5,064,856
4514DR Tennessee $44,735,216
4515DR Indiana $25,472,504
4516DR New Hampshire $11,003,311
4517DR West Virginia $8,014,879
4518DR Arkansas $4,191,937
4520DR Wisconsin $32,749,999
4521DR Nebraska $18,073,516
4522DR Maine $4,726,703
4523DR Nevada $16,301,258
4524DR Arizona $40,260,428
4525DR Utah $25,112,074
4526DR Delaware $6,500,644
4527DR South Dakota $3,276,898
4528DR Mississippi $25,887,599
4529DR New Mexico $11,775,469
4530DR Oklahoma $10,562,604
4531DR Minnesota $17,566,656
4532DR Vermont $13,396,387
4533DR Alaska $4,886,382
4534DR Idaho $11,406,627
4535DR Wyoming $1,707,575
4537DR American Samoa $702,400
4545DR Seminole Tribe of Florida $462,364
4582DR Navajo Nation $322,578
4591DR Poarch Band of Creek Indians $168,000

 

Last Updated: 12/06/2021
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