SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Nick Brown led a coalition of 20 states in suing the Trump administration over its decision to terminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.
The lawsuit argues that the shutdown of the disaster mitigation program is illegal, violating both congressional authority and federal administrative law. The states are seeking a court order to reverse the decision and restore BRIC funding.
The BRIC program has provided pre-disaster mitigation funding for more than 30 years, supporting projects like levee construction, wildfire protections, and utility grid improvements. Since its inception, the program has awarded nearly $4.5 billion in grants nationwide, including $182 million for 27 active projects in Washington state.
Brown said the program’s termination puts vulnerable communities at greater risk from natural disasters.
Joining Washington in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the governor of Pennsylvania.
