"Many dams in the Midwest do not meet grant eligibility requirements, leaving safety officials and residents worried about how they’ll prevent future collapses as flood risks increase."
"MINNEAPOLIS—A record amount of federal aid will soon flow to states to help fix, replace or demolish their aging dams, many of which are under increasing pressure as climate change fuels more frequent and severe extreme weather events.
About $3 billion was dedicated to dam projects under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congress passed in 2021. A chunk of those allocated funds has been awarded to states this year through several federal grant programs aimed at improving dam safety and upgrading the nation’s hydropower infrastructure.
So far this year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has distributed a record $215 million in dam safety grants. And earlier this month, the Department of Energy announced it was handing out more than $433 million to projects that will improve safety and grid resilience for hydropower dams across 33 states.
But Midwestern states are largely missing out on that historic pool of money when compared to other U.S. regions, according to an Inside Climate News analysis of federal data. Eleven Midwest states will receive a total of $30 million in FEMA dam safety grants this year, just half of the roughly $60 million that 13 states in the South will receive. Another $60 million will go to 11 states in the Northeast. In the West, 11 states will receive about $45 million."
Kristoffer Tigue reports for Inside Climate News September 20, 2024.
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