Boston (AP) – A federal judge on Tuesday prevented the Trump administration from re -customizing $ 4 billion to help societies protect from natural disasters.
The American boycott judge granted Richard J. Sterez in Boston is a preliminary order by 20 states led by Democrats while a lawsuit has moved forward.
A spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency immediately did not respond to the comment.
“Societies can prepare enough for natural disasters.”
Massachusetts and the other states that brought the lawsuit in FEMA have lacking the power to end the infrastructure and flexible societies of the building and redirect more than $ 4 billion of its financing. The program aims to harden the infrastructure throughout the country against the possible damage to storms.
Fema initially announced that it would finish the program, but later said in the court file that she was establishing it.
Noting the funds for the program were allocated by Congress, a lawsuit says to the states that any attempt to redirect it will present the constitution.
Government lawyer, Nicole Okonor, has argued in a hearing in July that money can be used to recover from disasters and prevent disaster and that Fema must have a discretionary authority to use the money it deems appropriate.
In his rule, Sterins said he was not convinced that Congress had given any discretionary power to redirect money. The states also showed that the “balance of hardship and public interest” was in its favor.
“There is a public interest inherent in ensuring that the government is following the law, and the potential difficulties that accumulate on countries from the money that are reused are wonderful,” Sterens wrote. “The BRIC Program is designed to protect against natural disasters and save lives.”
The program provided grants to a group of disaster management projects, including strengthening electrical networks, building dams to protect floods and transport weak water treatment facilities. Many projects In rural societies.
Fema said in a Press statement in April The “ending” of the program, but the agency’s acting head, David Richardson, later said in the court file that FEMA was just evaluating whether it was finished or retracted.
Sterens said it seemed that the Fema decided to end the program and was “heading towards A Paint Appori”, noting that she had canceled new financing opportunities and told the stakeholders that they should not expect any unauthorized funding.
The states, including California, New York and Washington, have argued that the threat of loss of financing alone may endanger the risk of cancellation, delay or reduce size. They warned that ending the program would be very big.
“By immunizing our societies proactively against disasters before they hit, instead of responding after that, we will reduce injuries, save lives, protect property, and eventually save money that can be spent on post -disaster costs,” they wrote in the lawsuit filed in July.
Fema said in the court file that a judicial order on its use of money could hinder its ability to respond to major disasters.
But Sterins said that the administration could return to it to issue funding in the event of a catastrophe with “unprecedented dimensions.”
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