As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments in America and climate resilience, FEMA recently announced that it will make grant funds available to communities for low-carbon materials used in disaster recovery and climate resilience projects.
Tribal Nations, states, territories and local communities will now have more access to cleaner building materials through eligible FEMA programs to rebuild from disasters or become more resilient to climate change.
President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act enables FEMA to fund costs associated with low-carbon materials to help cut carbon pollution and support climate resilience and communities. This effort supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal to reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050.
This action also supports President Biden’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which aims to spur the development of American-made lower carbon construction materials.
“While FEMA helps communities prepare, respond, and recover from increasingly severe and more frequent disasters, it’s equally important that we help communities rebuild with resilience through mitigation and pre-disaster assistance. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act further empowers that mission and will allow FEMA to do our part in addressing the underlying causes of climate change by covering the costs for the use of low-carbon materials and incentivizing low-carbon and net-zero projects.”
Under FEMA’s new guidance, Tribal Nations, states, territories, and local governments will be able to use federal funding to cover costs for certain construction materials – concrete, asphalt, glass and steel – that have a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional materials. Eligible FEMA programs include the Public Assistance (PA), the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
The guidance applies for disasters declared at least 60 days after release of the guidance for Public Assistance and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Applications submitted for BRIC can apply for project funding that includes low-carbon materials during the fiscal year 2023 application process.
FEMA is developing additional guidance to expand and implement incentives for low-carbon projects and net-zero energy projects that will help communities build back stronger. These funds and incentives support FEMA’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan goal of leading “whole of community in climate resilience” and encourage state, tribal, territories and local partners to build climate resilient communities.
For more information visit FEMA.gov.