Biden-Harris Administration Announces $185 Million in Allocations for Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams Through Investing in America Agenda
Allocations Funded through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
WASHINGTON – RealEstateRama – The Biden-Harris administration is announcing $185.1 million in allocations for 32 states and one territory to make dams stronger through FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program.
The funding through the Rehabilitation Of High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) Grant Program comes from President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program provides funding for technical, planning, design and construction for rehabilitation of eligible high hazard potential dams.
“Dams provide critical, life-saving support for communities around the nation to prevent flooding and provide a predictable water supply for communities. This $185 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allows FEMA to invest in critical activities for dams to ensure this vital infrastructure receives the funding it needs to withstand climate effects,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This way future generations will benefit from dams for the flood protection, water supply hydropower, irrigation and recreation they provide.”
President Biden secured more than $50 billion for climate resilience and adaptation through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act and established a National Climate Resilience Framework, which is advancing locally tailored, community-driven climate resilience strategies. The High Hazard Potential Dam grant program’s objectives and eligibility requirements align with these efforts to strengthen the Nation’s resilience to climate-related hazards.
The announcement also aligns with the FEMA Year of Resilience theme to help communities build local capacity to withstand tomorrow’s hazards from climate change.
Dams are a critical part of the nation’s infrastructure and all Americans enjoy the benefits they provide. However, the nation’s dams are aging and many are deteriorating, while downstream and upstream populations are increasing.
Grants through the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams program are available to non-federal governments and nonprofits for technical, planning, design and construction assistance to rehabilitate, remove or repair eligible high hazard potential dams.
A breakdown of approximate allocations for states and territories is as follows:
- Arizona $2.5 million
- California $5.4 million
- Colorado $6.7 million
- Connecticut $3 million
- Georgia $6.2 million
- Hawaii $10.3 million
- Kansas $3 million
- Louisiana $2 million
- Maine $2.4 million
- Maryland $4.2 million
- Massachusetts $6.9 million
- Michigan $3 million
- Minnesota $2 million
- Mississippi $3.5 million
- Montana $3.4 million
- Nebraska $2 million
- New Hampshire $6.5 million
- New Jersey $6.5 million
- New Mexico $3 million
- New York $9.2 million
- North Carolina $9.5 million
- Ohio $10.9 million
- Oklahoma $5.1 million
- Oregon $3.5 million
- Pennsylvania $18 million
- Puerto Rico $2.7 million
- South Carolina $5.8 million
- South Dakota $2.9 million
- Texas $10.7 million
- Utah $7.2 million
- Virginia $5.5 million
- Washington $4.6 million
- West Virginia $2.7 million
- Wyoming $2.5 million
Selected states and territories will now prioritize and determine which projects to fund based on their awards. FEMA will announce funded projects later this year.
Eligible non-federal dams are:
- Located in a state or territory with a dam safety program.
- Classified as high hazard potential by the dam safety agency in the state or territory where the dam is located.
- With a current, approved emergency action plan by the state or territorial dam safety agency.
- Failing to meet minimum dam safety standards of the state or territory or poses an unacceptable risk to the public.
FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program published two grant funding opportunities on Nov. 6, 2023, in support of state dam safety offices and dam construction projects. In total, there was about $211 million in dam safety grant funding available for the Fiscal Year 2024 Fall funding opportunities.
Earlier this year FEMA announced about $26 million in awards—also funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — through the National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program for states and territories with enacted dam safety program. The funding helps states and territories establish and maintain effective state programs to ensure dam safety and protect communities from increasing threats from climate change.
For more information about the National Dam Safety Program, visit FEMA.gov.
