Virginia lawmakers raise alarm over Richmond's canceled $12M water grant
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Some Virginia lawmakers are slamming the Trump administration's decision to cancel Richmond's $12 million grant slated for water plant repairs.
Why it matters: If the funding isn't reinstated, the lawmakers say "the region will be more susceptible to future water contaminations and disruptions in water delivery" — as it was earlier this year.
State of play: Richmond found out Friday that it wouldn't receive the grant, which FEMA awarded in fiscal year 2022. The money was part of a program, originally launched during President Trump's first term, that gave states billions of dollars to reduce extreme weather-related damage.
- FEMA ended the program this month, calling it "wasteful and ineffective."
- The funds would have gone toward reinforcing parts of the Richmond plant that help prevent flooding, per RTD.
The latest: In a letter Monday, four Democrats in Congress — Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Tim Kaine, Rep. Jennifer McClellan and Rep. Bobby Scott — urged the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, to reverse the decision.
- The letter noted the plant serves over 4,700 businesses and nearly 400 private properties.
- And Mayor Danny Avula said the cancellation, while it wouldn't delay other planned facility upgrades, risks shifting costs onto residents.
Between the lines: There's already a chance Richmond utility bills will go up nearly $13 a month this summer to support major projects over the next five years, including over $100 million toward water plant upgrades.
Zoom in: Richmond isn't the only area affected by the program cut, per the letter.
- Portsmouth is losing a $24 million grant to strengthen a dam that serves as a drinking water supply for people in Hampton Roads, an area prone to flooding.
What we're watching: The future of FEMA itself is uncertain ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season.
- And while Virginia doesn't get as much FEMA and HUD relief as other states, it received over $41 million annually from 2015 to 2024, covering nine disasters.