NC AG Jackson: FEMA's Cut to BRIC Program Jeopardizes Public Safety

North Carolina --  July 25. 2025:  Attorney General Jeff Jackson continued his case against FEMA for canceling over $200 million in cuts to disaster preparedness programs in North Carolina, he visited the Hillsborough River Pumping Station yesterday.  

Nearly $7 million had been given to Hillsborough to relocate their river pump station outside of the floodplain while maintaining emergency water connections. 

“This pumping station in Hillsborough just flooded a few weeks ago. A lot of sewage was dumped into the river. That’s why this site was picked to receive funds to move out of the floodplain. This isn’t red team or blue team stuff – it’s about keeping sewage out of our drinking water. I hope we can all agree on that,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “FEMA broke the law when they canceled these funds, and I’m going to court to get them back for North Carolina.”

“Like many towns across North Carolina, Hillsborough sought and was awarded BRIC grants by FEMA to help strengthen our water and sewer infrastructure, only to have them canceled without warning,” said Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell. “BRIC grants are vital to protect Hillsborough’s public safety and to promote economic development for our residents, businesses, hospital and community college. Tropical Storm Chantal disabled our water and sewer infrastructure two weeks ago. We call upon FEMA to restore BRIC and to help small towns like Hillsborough mitigate future disasters.”

During President Trump's first term, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program provided financing to more than 60 projects throughout the state, including Hillsborough's river pumping station.  Disaster preparation projects, such as building flood walls and evacuation shelters, protecting utility grids from wildfires, securing drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and strengthening bridges, roads, and culverts, were intended to be supported by the BRIC monies. 

When the program was suddenly stopped in April, many municipalities had already invested millions of their own funds to begin these projects.  When the Hillsborough river pumping station flooded during Tropical Storm Chantal, 75% of the town's sewage was dumped into the Eno River.

Attorney General Jackson's complaint claims that FEMA's decision is illegal under federal law and the U.S. Constitution.  In addition to a permanent injunction to reinstate the BRIC program and the funds given to the state, he is requesting a preliminary injunction to stop FEMA from using BRIC funds in other ways.

While Attorney General Jackson's recent visit highlighted the critical situation at the Hillsborough pumping station in Central North Carolina, his lawsuit targets the cancellation of over $200 million in FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program funds that were allocated for projects across the entire state of North Carolina.

This includes vital disaster preparedness efforts in Western North Carolina, a region still grappling with the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene in late 2024. Helene brought unprecedented flooding and landslides, causing immense damage to homes, infrastructure, and local economies throughout the mountains. The BRIC funds are specifically designed to support projects that would directly address vulnerabilities exposed by such events, including fortifying water and sewer systems, improving stormwater drainage, protecting utility grids, and strengthening roads and bridges.

Attorney General Jackson's legal action, if successful, would reinstate these statewide funds, providing crucial resources for Western North Carolina communities to recover from past disasters and build resilience against future ones.

WNCTimes 

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