State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

'Federally Supported, State Managed, Locally Executed' Disaster Recovery

Route Fifty: WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency wants to quadruple its investment in disaster mitigation by 2022 using aid money, a plan supported by regional officials in beleaguered states like Texas—so long as the funding formula is amenable.

On Monday, the Trump administration proposed a budget including a record $85 billion for disaster aid, and 2018 stands to see an unprecedented amount of mitigation funding flow to areas impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

Awarding money typically doled out post-disaster to communities based on risk “would be a force multiplier in mitigation,” Daniel Kaniewski, FEMA’s deputy administrator for protection and national preparedness, told Route Fifty following a speech at the National Association of Regional Councils’ winter meeting in D.C.

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