Restrictions to the federal government’s main emergency fund administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will go into effect after a year of disasters such as wildfires in Maui and flooding in Florida have drained spending abilities. The restrictions will place holds on federal aid currently helping multiple states rebuild from natural disasters.
Known as “immediate needs funding,” the restriction will limit federal aid to “life-threatening emergencies” such as clearing roads, supporting essential services such as health care and water, and making emergency housing available for displaced individuals. At a press conference, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the agency will allocate the remaining disaster funds for the year to “critical response efforts to Idalia, the Maui fires and any other extreme weather events.”
In addition to limiting the government’s ability to aid recovery efforts in potential upcoming disasters, the restriction could temporarily halt thousands of projects across the country rebuilding facilities and infrastructure damaged by disasters that happened in the past decade.
The Biden Administration has requested $16 billion in emergency money to add to the depleted disaster fund. The ask is part of a larger $44 billion request for additional emergency spending that has yet to be approved by Congress.
By Meryl Phair