Alejandra Borunda

Yeah, so the budget proposal would keep funding even for the National Weather Service, right? That's the weather forecasting part. But, you know, in practice, they've been hit hard already because of those people that have been fired. And some scientists think they're already seeing weather forecasts get less accurate.

Yeah. So there's a lot of funding that the federal government provides for preparing for disasters. A lot. FEMA has awarded more than four and a half billion dollars since 2020 to help communities prepare. You know, these are grants they've already told communities that they're getting. They're on the way. But now they've been canceled. OK, so what were these grants for?

Yeah. So there's a lot of funding that the federal government provides for preparing for disasters. A lot. FEMA has awarded more than four and a half billion dollars since 2020 to help communities prepare. You know, these are grants they've already told communities that they're getting. They're on the way. But now they've been canceled. OK, so what were these grants for?

Yeah. So there's a lot of funding that the federal government provides for preparing for disasters. A lot. FEMA has awarded more than four and a half billion dollars since 2020 to help communities prepare. You know, these are grants they've already told communities that they're getting. They're on the way. But now they've been canceled. OK, so what were these grants for?

OK, yeah, here's an example. So there's this tiny community of Depew, Illinois. They have a big problem, which is when it rains a lot, it causes flooding and it floods their sewage treatment plant. It gets inundated with water. And that means people may not be able to flush their toilets. Daniel Hoffert, the village president of Depew, told me about it.

OK, yeah, here's an example. So there's this tiny community of Depew, Illinois. They have a big problem, which is when it rains a lot, it causes flooding and it floods their sewage treatment plant. It gets inundated with water. And that means people may not be able to flush their toilets. Daniel Hoffert, the village president of Depew, told me about it.

OK, yeah, here's an example. So there's this tiny community of Depew, Illinois. They have a big problem, which is when it rains a lot, it causes flooding and it floods their sewage treatment plant. It gets inundated with water. And that means people may not be able to flush their toilets. Daniel Hoffert, the village president of Depew, told me about it.

Yeah, you need that sewage to run. Exactly. Because if the plant isn't working, the sewage actually backs up in the pipes. It even spills into the basements of people's houses. And in past storms, they've had more than 100 houses that were affected. Fixing it means moving the wastewater treatment plant to higher ground. And that's expensive, you know, $25 million.

Yeah, you need that sewage to run. Exactly. Because if the plant isn't working, the sewage actually backs up in the pipes. It even spills into the basements of people's houses. And in past storms, they've had more than 100 houses that were affected. Fixing it means moving the wastewater treatment plant to higher ground. And that's expensive, you know, $25 million.

Yeah, you need that sewage to run. Exactly. Because if the plant isn't working, the sewage actually backs up in the pipes. It even spills into the basements of people's houses. And in past storms, they've had more than 100 houses that were affected. Fixing it means moving the wastewater treatment plant to higher ground. And that's expensive, you know, $25 million.

And Hofford says it would take them decades to collect enough tax revenue because, you know, only about 1,500 people live there. So he applied to FEMA for this program specifically for projects that prevent disaster damage.

And Hofford says it would take them decades to collect enough tax revenue because, you know, only about 1,500 people live there. So he applied to FEMA for this program specifically for projects that prevent disaster damage.

And Hofford says it would take them decades to collect enough tax revenue because, you know, only about 1,500 people live there. So he applied to FEMA for this program specifically for projects that prevent disaster damage.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, the idea is you pay a little bit now so you don't have to pay a lot more later. And studies show that it really is cheaper to prepare infrastructure for disasters instead of just paying to rebuild it after a disaster hits. So this grant program, it's called BRIC, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. It was actually started during Trump's first administration.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, the idea is you pay a little bit now so you don't have to pay a lot more later. And studies show that it really is cheaper to prepare infrastructure for disasters instead of just paying to rebuild it after a disaster hits. So this grant program, it's called BRIC, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. It was actually started during Trump's first administration.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, the idea is you pay a little bit now so you don't have to pay a lot more later. And studies show that it really is cheaper to prepare infrastructure for disasters instead of just paying to rebuild it after a disaster hits. So this grant program, it's called BRIC, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. It was actually started during Trump's first administration.

And it kind of marked this big shift that disaster experts have been pushing for for decades. But now, you know, it's being canceled. So what will that mean for the community of Depew? Yeah. So they had been told the grant was already awarded to them. They've been working on it. They've been planning and preparing for years. And Hoffert was actually expecting the money this year.

And it kind of marked this big shift that disaster experts have been pushing for for decades. But now, you know, it's being canceled. So what will that mean for the community of Depew? Yeah. So they had been told the grant was already awarded to them. They've been working on it. They've been planning and preparing for years. And Hoffert was actually expecting the money this year.

And it kind of marked this big shift that disaster experts have been pushing for for decades. But now, you know, it's being canceled. So what will that mean for the community of Depew? Yeah. So they had been told the grant was already awarded to them. They've been working on it. They've been planning and preparing for years. And Hoffert was actually expecting the money this year.

And then he heard it was canceled.