June 10, 2021

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

 

After substantial increases in significant hurricanes in 2020, President Joe Biden wants America prepared for the 2021 Hurricane Season.

The President announced his administration would direct $1 billion toward the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) fund for extreme weather preparation.

The commitment marks a 100 percent increase over existing funding levels.

The budget increase will go to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which provides support for local, state, and tribal government preparation efforts.

Administration officials said bolstering the funds helps to “categorically shift the federal focus from responding to individual disasters on a case-by-case basis to research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience.”

“As climate change threatens to bring more extreme events like increased floods, sea-level rise, and intensifying droughts and wildfires, it is our responsibility to better prepare and support communities, families, and businesses before the disaster – not just after,” administration officials wrote.

“This includes investing in climate research to improve our understanding of these extreme weather events and our decision-making on climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation. It also means ensuring that communities have the resources they need to build resilience prior to these crises.”

In 2020, the U.S. recorded a record 30 named storms and at least 12 hurricanes or tropical storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration project the 2021 season will produce more hurricanes and tropical storms.

Category: News