The Biden administration is revising one of its largest climate grant programs, after states failed to spend billions of dollars that were allocated to them.
The program, run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has approved roughly $31 billion since 1989 for states to spend on projects that protect communities from disasters such as floods, storms and wildfire.
But nearly 20 percent of the money is still unspent, said Victoria Salinas, a FEMA senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator. Factors such as the growing number of disasters due to climate change “have made it really hard to utilize [the program] fully.”
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program kicks in after a state is hit by a disaster, offering funds for projects that help protect against future damage.
