Boston — A coalition of 23 states, led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, has secured a court order requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to restore funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The ruling compels FEMA to reverse its termination of the program and make billions of dollars in funding available to communities that rely on it.
Legal Battle and Court Orders
The decision follows a motion filed by the coalition to enforce a previous court order issued in December. Initially, a lawsuit was filed on July 16, 2025, to prevent FEMA from terminating the BRIC program, which had already led to delays and cancellations of hundreds of mitigation projects nationwide. On December 11, 2025, the coalition won its case, with the court declaring the program’s termination unlawful.
Despite the December ruling, the Trump Administration did not indicate compliance, prompting the coalition to file a motion on February 17, 2026, asking the District of Massachusetts to enforce its earlier order. Today, the court granted that motion.
Program Requirements and Funding
The court order requires FEMA to make pre-disaster mitigation funds available as mandated by statute, communicate the status of current BRIC projects to the states and provide the court with status reports detailing compliance efforts. FEMA must also issue a fiscal year 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the BRIC program within 21 days.
Over the past four years, FEMA has selected nearly 2,000 projects nationwide to receive approximately $4.5 billion in BRIC funding. In Massachusetts, communities have been awaiting funds for projects including climate proofing in Boston, bridge upgrades in Manchester-by-the-Sea, and flood protection for the Blue Line tunnel.
Attorney General Campbell co-led the effort with Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. Joining them were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Fresh Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BRIC program?
The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program provides communities across the nation with resources to proactively fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters.
What prompted this lawsuit?
The lawsuit was filed to prevent FEMA from terminating the BRIC program, which had already delayed, scaled back, and cancelled hundreds of mitigation projects.
What does the court order require FEMA to do?
The court order requires FEMA to make pre-disaster mitigation funds available, communicate project statuses to states, file compliance reports with the court, and issue a fiscal year 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the BRIC program within 21 days.
As FEMA moves to comply with the court’s order, will these vital infrastructure projects finally move forward and provide communities with the protection they need?
