State officials on the front lines of natural disaster preparedness and emergency response say deep cuts in federal security grants, limited preparedness funding and litigation funding delays are increasing risks to their ability to respond.
It’s all causing confusion, frustration, and concern. of federal government shutdown It’s not helping.
“Every day we remain in this subsidy purgatory, we have less and less time to spend these critical funds responsibly and effectively,” said Kiel Amundson, communications director for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
Uncertainty has led some emergency management agencies to postpone filling vacancies and make hasty decisions about critical training and purchases.
Experts say the developments will complicate state-led emergency efforts and undermine the Republican administration’s strategy. set goals The idea is to shift more responsibility for disaster response to states and local governments.
The Department of Homeland Security said in an emailed statement that the new requirements are necessary due to “recent population changes” and that the changes to security grants were made “to address new and urgent threats facing our nation.”
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Several DHS and FEMA grants help states, tribes, and territories prepare for climate disasters and thwart a variety of threats. That money will be used to pay for things like salaries, training, vehicles, communications equipment, and software.
State emergency managers say money is becoming increasingly important. The range of threats we must prepare for is expandingpandemics, cyber attacks, etc.
FEMA, part of DHS, distributed $320 million in Emergency Management Performance Grants to states on September 29. But the next day, the agency told states the aid would be on hold until they submitted new population numbers. The order excluded people “who have been removed from the state pursuant to the immigration laws of the United States” and called for an explanation of the methodology.
The amount distributed to each state is based on U.S. Census population data. The new requirement for states to submit revised tallies is “something we’ve never seen before,” said Trina Sheets, executive director of the National Emergency Management Association, a group representing emergency managers. “It is not the responsibility of emergency management to qualify the population.”
Hawaii’s Amundson said that without guidance on how to calculate the numbers, officials scrambled to collect data from the 2020 Census and other sources, then subtracted the number of “noncitizens” based on estimates from advocacy groups.
They are not sure if their methodology will be accepted. But they won’t know that because their FEMA contact was furloughed and the grant portal also went down during the federal government shutdown. Other states said they were evaluating the request or awaiting further guidance.
DHS said in a statement that FEMA must verify funding levels before distributing grants, including updated information on state populations due to deportations.
Experts said local governments and agencies that receive state grants could be most affected by delays due to requests because they have smaller budgets and staffing. At the same time, FEMA reduced the period recipients must spend the funds from three years to one year. That could leave agencies unable to work on long-term projects.
Brian Kuhn, president and CEO of consulting firm IEM and former Florida emergency management director, said state and local governments need time to adjust their budgets to accommodate all kinds of changes.
“If these services are disrupted, American lives could be at risk,” he said.
Grant programs linked by litigation
In another move that caused uncertainty, FEMA sharply reduced allocations from other sources to some states in September. The $1 billion Homeland Security grant program is supposed to be based on assessed risk, with the state giving most of the money to police and fire departments.
New York State received $100 million less than expected, a 79% drop, while Illinois received a 69% drop. Both states are politically controlled by Democrats. Meanwhile, some regions saw windfall gains, such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, which received more than double its expected quota.
The National Emergency Management Association said grants are intended to be allocated based on risk and that it “remains unclear what risk methodology was used” to determine the allocation of new funds.
A federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order on Sept. 30 after a group of Democratic states challenged the cuts in court. This prompted FEMA to rescind the award notice and withhold payments pending further court order.
Hawaii Department of Homeland Security Secretary Frank Pace said the freeze “underscores the uncertainty and political instability surrounding these awards.” Democratic-controlled states received more money than expected but expect their bonuses to be stripped away through lawsuits.
In Hawaii, 2023 wildfires With subsidy freezes and government shutdowns continuing as the city of Lahaina on Maui was devastated and more than 100 people died, the state, counties and nonprofits “face the real possibility” of delays in paying contractors, completing projects, and even “furloughing or terminating staff,” he said.
Public Affairs Director Karina Shagren said the Washington State Office of Emergency Management has paused hiring for some positions “out of an abundance of caution” after countless setbacks.
A series of delays and cuts disrupt state-federal partnerships
Emergency management experts said the move is creating uncertainty for those responsible for preparations.
The Trump administration suspended the policy. $3.6 Billion FEMA Disaster Recovery Program, FEMA cuts in personnel and suspends routine training.
Other lawsuits also complicate decision-making. A federal judge in Manhattan last week ordered DHS and FEMA to Restore $34 million in road safety grants Due to immigration policies, he was refraining from entering New York City.
Another judge in Rhode Island ordered DHS to permanently stop imposing grant conditions; After being linked with immigration authorities, It ruled in September that the conditions were illegal. — only for DHS to try to impose them again.
Taken together, the confusion over what was once a trusted partner has some states preparing to change their relationship with FEMA.
Sheets, of the National Emergency Management Association, said that given all the uncertainty, states are looking for ways to “reduce their reliance on federal funding.”
