Climate Wire | The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Tuesday that states and communities rebuilding from disasters can get additional federal funding if they use low-carbon construction materials.
Additional FEMA funding helps pay for additional costs when purchasing materials such as concrete and steel that are certified as having a low carbon footprint.
Additional funding comes from a provision in the Reducing Inflation Act enacted in August that allows FEMA to pay “costs related to low-carbon materials” through 2026. The federal government’s enormous purchasing power is spurring the development of low-carbon building materials made in the United States.
FEMA provides additional funding for construction projects funded by programs that help rebuild communities after disasters.
The funds are also available for two programs that subsidize state and local governments for projects that build resilience to disasters, such as raising the height of flood-prone buildings. The grants program is the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Disaster Mitigation Assistance Grants Program, both of which fund a wide range of mitigation projects.
FEMA typically pays 75% of project costs through three programs, with states and communities paying the remaining 25%. The same ratio applies to his additional funding from FEMA for low-carbon materials.
According to the FEMA memo, the materials subject to the surcharge are concrete, asphalt, glass and steel, which have an “environmental product declaration” certifying that their manufacture and use result in lower than average carbon emissions. I’m here.
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said in a statement that the additional funding “will enable FEMA to play a role in addressing the root causes of climate change by covering the cost of using low-carbon materials.” Stated.
Reprinted from E&E News with permission of POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2023. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environmental professionals.
