The Federal Emergency Management Agency has failed to develop a program under mandate from a 21-year-old disaster response law that funds efforts to prevent recurring damage to roads and bridges and other infrastructure from extreme weather, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s Inspector General says in a new report. The watchdog says the agency claims its priorities have been responding to numerous major disasters in that time frame.
FEMA failed to publish regulations and policies as required by the 2000 Disaster Mitigation Act that would provide incentives to protect structures from future repetitive damage and control costs of federal disaster assistance.