Attorney General Weiser secures court victory preventing Trump administration from unlawfully cutting billions in disaster preparedness funding

Court Order Prevents Trump Administration from Illegally Shutting Down the FEMA BRIC Program

Dec. 11, 2025 (DENVER) –  Attorney General Phil Weiser and a coalition of 20 states announced today another court win against the Trump administration, this time against its unlawful attempt to shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, or BRIC, program. The court order prevents FEMA from terminating the BRIC program and requires the restoration of these critical funds to the communities that rely on them.

For the past 30 years, the BRIC program has provided communities across the nation with resources to proactively fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters. Through an emphasis on preparation, the program has protected lives, communities, and property by mitigating disasters, rather than just recovering from them.

“Natural disasters are not random occurrences in Colorado. We must prepare for them, and do everything we can to protect our communities,” said Attorney General Weiser. “This funding saves lives. It’s as simple as that. The Trump administration’s withholding of such critical funding is both illegal and immoral, and that’s why we sued to stop this action and ensure we received the funds.”

The BRIC program is the core of FEMA’s mitigation efforts. BRIC projects are required to be cost-effective, and a recent study concluded that every dollar FEMA spends on mitigation saves an average of six dollars in post-disaster costs. The program supports often difficult-to-fund projects, such as constructing evacuation shelters and flood walls, safeguarding utility grids against wildfires, protecting wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, and fortifying bridges, roadways, and culverts.

Over the past four years, FEMA has selected nearly 2,000 projects to receive roughly $4.5 billion in BRIC funding nationwide. In Colorado, BRIC funding supports the Gold Hill Pipeline Project west of Greeley, an essential safeguard against water supply disruptions caused by wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters.

Today’s court decision affirms the coalition’s position that FEMA’s decision to abruptly terminate the BRIC program is in direct violation of Congress’s decision to fund it, and that the Trump administration has no authority to unilaterally refuse to spend funds appropriated by Congress. The judge also concluded that FEMA’s actions violate Separation of Powers and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Read the full summary judgement (PDF).

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov