New York City Joins Fight to Get Back $351 Million in Disaster Protection Money

By Y.M. Lowy

New York City is pushing back against the federal government after it decided to cut more than $351 million in funding meant to protect the city from natural disasters like storms and floods. 

The city joined Attorney General Letitia James and 20 other states in a legal fight challenging the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s decision to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, otherwise known as BRIC.

BRIC was created by Congress with support from both parties. Its goal is to give cities money to prepare ahead of time for emergencies. The idea is that spending money before disasters happen can save much more in damage and recovery costs later. New York City has already used this funding to prepare for major storms such as Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Ida, which caused severe flooding and damage across the region. Experts say every dollar spent on preparing saves six dollars later on cleanup and repairs, which is a smart investment.

Mayor Adams recently warned that flooding and extreme weather are happening more often. 

Now the city is pushing hard to get every dollar it was promised, so these projects can move forward. With storms getting stronger and more frequent, New York says it needs to keep this funding more than ever. 

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