3 hours Ago
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Region 4 Administrator Robert Samaan have announced that South Carolina and Tennessee have been selected for a combined $16.1 million in grants to help communities reduce vulnerability to natural hazards. Funding through the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program will provide more than $9.
1 million to South Carolina to administer revolving low-interest loan funds that will help local governments carry out hazard mitigation projects and build community climate resilience. Through this program, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, states can direct loans to local governments to mitigate the effects of events like drought, intense heat, wildfires, floods and earthquakes. "Helping communities invest in resilient infrastructure is the best defense we have as a nation to withstand tomorrow’s hazards," Criswell said.
"Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, this program will provide states with the funding they need to help communities build resilience to protect against future hazards. I encourage more state, tribal and territorial partners to apply for these funds to help keep their communities safe." South Carolina’s two proposed projects support safety, security and infrastructure resilience through structural retrofitting and utility protective measures.
“Both South Carolina and Tennessee developed their projects from existing local and state hazard mitigation plans,” Samaan said. “These improvements will go a long way in protecting these states and their citizens before disasters strike.” The announcement aligns with the 2024 FEMA Year of Resilience and was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $500 million to fund the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program through 2026.
Along with South Carolina and Tennessee, FEMA selected 10 other states for a combined total of $150 million in grants. The Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program complements FEMA’s hazard mitigation grant portfolio and the Justice40 initiative, encouraging states to direct 40% of the overall benefits generated by entity loan funds to disadvantaged communities. FEMA also offers technical assistance through webinars, office hours, on-demand videos and publicly available program support materials to assist and encourage existing and future applicants to participate in and use these innovative programs.
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