Trump administration defies court order, keeps $4.5 billion climate resilience program frozen

Two months after a federal court deadline, the Trump administration continues to defy a judge’s order to restore a critical climate adaptation program, leaving billions in disaster preparedness funding frozen nationwide. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which has distributed $4.5 billion in grants for wildfire retrofits, storm shelters, and flood protection systems, remains shuttered despite clear judicial instructions to resume operations.

FEMA officials, speaking anonymously to avoid retaliation, confirm the agency has taken no steps to revive BRIC following December’s court ruling. The program was originally terminated in April 2024, prompting nearly two dozen states to file a successful lawsuit. Judge Richard Stearns ordered FEMA to “promptly take all steps necessary to reverse” the shutdown and gave the administration until February 9 to appeal—a deadline that has now passed without action.

The ongoing freeze is devastating communities nationwide. Massachusetts cities Chelsea and Everett have lost $50 million in matching state funds for a crucial flood barrier project protecting a high school, rail line, and food distribution center. California hospitals and Wisconsin schools face similar project delays. State attorneys general filed new court documents this week demanding compliance, arguing that FEMA’s continued defiance threatens critical infrastructure projects already underway.

The standoff highlights the administration’s broader retreat from disaster mitigation, despite experts warning that prevention programs like BRIC actually reduce long-term federal disaster costs. With climate impacts intensifying, communities are left scrambling to protect themselves without federal support they were promised and legally entitled to receive.