Biden-Harris Administration Announces $749 Million to Repair Roads and Bridges Damaged by Natural Disasters and Catastrophic Events
Funds help states address ongoing impacts of climate change and severe weather
As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s coordinated approach to helping states repair and rebuild roads and bridges that have been damaged by catastrophic events, including increasingly frequent extreme weather events, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that it will provide $749 million in Emergency Relief Program funds to 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These extreme weather events were eligible for federal reimbursement under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program as the result of major disaster declarations.
“When natural disasters destroy vital transportation links, it impacts countless people who rely on those roads, bridges, and tunnels every day,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Cleanup and repairs can take years, and these funds are an important way our Department can help get families and communities moving again.”
“These climate events take their toll on communities, often impacting the economic livelihood and the quality of life for residents who are forced to make changes to their daily lives to accommodate damaged roads and infrastructure,” said FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “Through these long-term investments from FHWA’s Emergency Relief Program and new programs available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will continue to address the devastating impacts of climate change and catastrophic events and work to build more resilient transportation infrastructure.”
Natural disasters and catastrophic events often require yearslong recoveries, and the majority of FHWA’s Emergency Relief funding goes toward reimbursement for states, territories, federal land management agencies, and Tribal governments to fix and restore roads and bridges in the aftermath of wildfires, hurricanes, flooding and other weather-related events. That includes damage from events like Hurricane Ian in Florida, rainstorms and wildfires throughout California, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and flooding in and around Yellowstone Park in 2022. The emergency relief funding package also continues to include funding for repairs to the pedestrian bridge in Washington, D.C., over Route 295 that collapsed when a truck hit the bridge in June 2021.
As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s coordinated approach to rebuilding more resilient infrastructure, the Emergency Relief program complements other programs in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help make our transportation infrastructure better able to withstand damage from future weather events and catastrophic events. Specifically, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law addresses the future resiliency of transportation infrastructure in the face of climate change through new programs and expanded eligibilities, including the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula and Discretionary Grant programs.
FHWA recently announced that it has opened applications for $848 million in competitive grant funding through the first round of the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program. By funding projects that improve resilience to natural hazards and climate change impacts, the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program aims to reduce damage and disruption to the transportation system and improve the safety of the traveling public, saving money in the long run. In addition, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $7.3 billion over five years in PROTECT formula funding to states.
FHWA is updating its Emergency Relief Manual to spotlight the program’s impact on improvements to system resilience. The agency has also embarked on a rulemaking to amend the FHWA Emergency Relief program regulations to incorporate climate resiliency while making it possible to use more ER funds toward improving system resilience.
A listing of FY 2023 Emergency Relief Program allocations with funding information for each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico can be found here.
Fiscal Year 2023 Emergency Relief Program Allocations
| State | Event | Allocation | Subtotal by State |
| Alabama | March 16, 2021, Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds and Tornadoes | $ 500,000.00 | $ 500,000.00 |
| Alaska | November 30, 2018, Anchorage, Southcentral, and Mat-SU Earthquake | $ 2,000,000.00 | $ 65,000,000.00 |
| November 30, 2020, Storms and Flooding | $ 6,500,000.00 | ||
| July 10, 2022, Storms and Flooding | $ 46,500,000.00 | ||
| September 15, 2022, Storms and Flooding | $ 10,000,000.00 | ||
| Arizona | September 23, 2019, Tropical Storm Lorena | $ 750,000.00 | $ 17,230,000.00 |
| June 1, 2021, Mescal and Telegraph Wildfires | $ 2,000,000.00 | ||
| July 13, 2021, Monsoon Storms and Flooding | $ 940,000.00 | ||
| August 13, 2021, Monsoon Storms and Flooding | $ 1,340,000.00 | ||
| June 11, 2022, Contreras Fire | $ 2,200,000.00 | ||
| July 13, 2022, Storms and Flooding | $ 10,000,000.00 | ||
| Arkansas | April 26, 2017, Storm and Flooding | $ 4,380,000.00 | $ 6,521,392.97 |
| June 1, 2019, Arkansas River Flooding | $ 601,919.97 | ||
| Heavy Rains and Flooding | $ 1,539,473.00 | ||
| California | March 3, 2012, Severe Rainstorm in Northern California | $ 7,982.00 | $ 250,090,051.52 |
| November 30, 2014, Severe Statewide Rainstorm | $ 322,101.00 | ||
| March 5, 2016, Severe Statewide Rainstorm | $ 3,762,391.00 | ||
| December 9, 2016, Winter Storms | $ 8,863,468.00 | ||
| January 3, 2017, Severe Statewide Winter Storms | $ 39,696,125.00 | ||
| October 8, 2017, Seven Wildfires | $ 18,748.00 | ||
| October 8, 2017, Napa Fires | $ 245,434.00 | ||
| December 4, 2017, Thomas, Creek, Rye, and Lilac Wildfires | $ 1,040,920.00 | ||
| November 8, 2018, Camp, Woolsey, and Hill Wildfires | $ 67,863,094.00 | ||
| January 5, 2019, Atmospheric River Event | $ 18,795,179.00 | ||
| August 14, 2020, Wildfires | $ 64,511,084.00 | ||
| September 2, 2020, Statewide Wildfires | $ 14,178,674.00 | ||
| June 24, 2021, Wildfires | $ 55,833.00 | ||
| August 17, 2020, Statewide Wildfires | $ 391,960.00 | ||
| July 18, 2020, Statewide Wildfires | $ 954,537.40 | ||
| July 13, 2021, Statewide Wildfires | $ 3,034,899.00 | ||
| July 13, 2021, Wildfires | $ 18,243,105.33 | ||
| July to Aug 5th Storm and Flashflood | $ 8,104,516.79 | ||
| Colorado | 2023 Division Disaster Assessment | $ 770,000.00 | $ 770,000.00 |
| District of Columbia | June 23, 2021, Pedestrian Bridge Destruction – Truck Striking Caused | $ 12,501,821.09 | $ 13,801,821.09 |
| MSAR, 2023-2024 MSAR Budget | $ 1,300,000.00 | ||
| Florida | September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian | $ 61,517,812.84 | $ 61,518,787.84 |
| September 2020, Hurricane Sally for Highway 399 (Route 11) Temporary Traffic Measures | $ 975.00 | ||
| Georgia | February 2019 Flooding | $ 463,794.00 | $ 6,042,180.00 |
| February 2020 Flooding | $ 548,100.00 | ||
| April 2020 Southeast Storm | $ 1,325,260.00 | ||
| March 2021 Regional Storm | $ 3,705,026.00 | ||
| Hawaii | February 26, 2012, Heavy Rains and Severe Flooding | $ 2,520,036.33 | $ 63,725,968.14 |
| May 3, 2018, Kilauea Earthquake and Lava Flow | $ 416,243.18 | ||
| February 9, 2019, Pali Highway Landslide | $ 12,856,727.87 | ||
| March 27, 2020, Storms and Flooding | $ 28,065,271.22 | ||
| March 8, 2021, Storms and Flooding | $ 16,667,689.54 | ||
| December 4, 2021, Storms and Flooding | $ 3,200,000.00 | ||
| Idaho | June 10, 2022, Extreme Runoff and Flooding | $ 4,000,000.00 | $ 7,707,305.20 |
| March 16, 2017, Stoddard Bridge | $ 1,400,000.20 | ||
| April 9, 2019, Flood in Central Idaho | $ 1,779,066.00 | ||
| August 2, 2021, Monsoon Storms | $ 528,239.00 | ||
| Illinois | April 23, 2019, Flash Flooding and Major River Flooding | $ 349,694.00 | $ 2,274,385.00 |
| 2019 Midwest Floods | $ 1,924,691.00 | ||
| Iowa | June 24, 2021, Severe Storm and Flooding | $ 1,422,384.79 | $ 1,422,384.79 |
| Kentucky | December 31, 2021, Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, and Tornadoes | $ 600,000.00 | $ 13,581,056.00 |
| July 26, 2022, Storms and Flooding | $ 12,000,000.00 | ||
| February 2019 Flooding | $ 981,056.00 | ||
| Louisiana | August 21, 2020, Hurricane Laura | $ 932,555.00 | $ 1,132,555.00 |
| 2021 Hurricane Delta | $ 200,000.00 | ||
| Maryland | July 16, 2019, Summer Storm | $ 850,172.00 | $ 850,172.00 |
| Michigan | June 25, 2021, Statewide Storms and Flooding | $ 1,856,000.00 | $ 1,856,000.00 |
| Minnesota | April 1, 2019, Heavy Snowmelt and Rainfall | $ 50,000.00 | $ 3,437,499.00 |
| June 18, 2020, Landslide in Nicollet County | $ 105,000.00 | ||
| Regional Flood May 2022 | $ 2,800,499.00 | ||
| May 2022 Flooding | $ 482,000.00 | ||
| Mississippi | ERFA: MS19-1, February 22, 2019, Flooding Damage | $ 6,687,031.32 | $ 9,110,004.88 |
| August 22, 2022, Storms and Flooding | $ 1,407,998.56 | ||
| Hurricane Sally January 11 and February 14, 2020, Heavy Rain | $ 1,014,975.00 | ||
| Missouri | April 29, 2019, Severe Storm Systems and Flooding | $ 2,193,990.57 | $ 4,087,111.57 |
| May 15, 2020, Torrential rains and raising floodwaters | $ 1,893,121.00 | ||
| Montana | June 5, 2022, Heavy Rains/Snowmelt and Severe Flooding in and around Yellowstone National Park | $ 30,400,000.00 | $ 51,319,120.00 |
| April-June 2018 Rapid Snowmelt and Flooding | $ 107,120.00 | ||
| 2022 Rain, Snowmelt, & Flooding | $ 5,812,000.00 | ||
| June 2022 Rain, Snowmelt, & Flooding | $ 15,000,000.00 | ||
| Nevada | July 2021 Monsoon storm | $ 12,611.09 | $ 12,611.09 |
| New Hampshire | July 29, 2021, Storms and Flooding | $ 4,500,000.00 | $ 4,500,000.00 |
| New Jersey | November 2019 Flooding | $ 825,106.00 | $ 1,477,606.00 |
| 2021 Hurricane Ida | $ 652,500.00 | ||
| New Mexico | 2022 Hermit Peak Calf Canyon Wildfire | $ 2,679,010.54 | $ 2,679,010.54 |
| New York | November 2019 Flooding | $ 51,147.00 | $ 51,147.00 |
| North Carolina | February 25, 2019, Severe Statewide Storms and Flooding | $ 2,011,771.28 | $ 14,840,720.28 |
| June 2019 Flood Damage | $ 164,456.00 | ||
| February 2020 Flooding | $ 235,138.00 | ||
| April 2020 Southeast Storm | $ 429,355.00 | ||
| 2021 Tropical Storm Fred | $ 12,000,000.00 | ||
| North Dakota | April 12, 2022, Severe Flooding in Eastern North Dakota | $ 13,436,366.60 | $ 13,436,366.60 |
| Ohio | March 19, 2020, Abnormal Storms and Flooding | $ 13,611,000.00 | $ 13,611,000.00 |
| Oklahoma | April 28, 2017, Severe Storms and Flooding | $ 4,294,124.30 | $ 4,918,783.25 |
| 2022 Rainstorms and Flash-Flooding | $ 189,158.95 | ||
| May 2022 Rainstorms and Flash-Flooding | $ 435,500.00 | ||
| Oregon | February and April 2019 Flooding | $ 170,000.00 | $ 8,364,460.00 |
| February 2020 Rain and Flooding | $ 4,349,150.00 | ||
| September 7, 2020 Wildfires | $ 2,933,979.00 | ||
| January 13, 2022 Storms and Flooding | $ 911,331.00 | ||
| Pennsylvania | August 24, 2022, PA74 Bridge Strike (3rd Party) | $ 1,000,000.00 | $ 4,825,995.00 |
| 2021 Hurricane Ida | $ 3,825,995.00 | ||
| Puerto Rico | September 6, 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria | $ 1,148,499.45 | $ 46,425,141.45 |
| September 18, 2022, Hurricane Fiona | $ 34,850,000.00 | ||
| September 2022 Hurricane Fiona | $ 10,426,642.00 | ||
| South Dakota | May 22, 2019, Heavy Rains and Severe Flooding | $ 312,054.68 | $ 890,403.32 |
| June 30, 2019, Heavy Rains and Severe Flooding | $ 578,348.64 | ||
| Tennessee | July 11, 2019, Rockslide I-75 at MM 143.2 | $ 975,000.00 | $ 2,612,955.00 |
| February 6, 2019, Southeast Floods | $ 920,359.00 | ||
| April 12, 2019, Severe Storm and Flood | $ 317,596.00 | ||
| August 21, 2021, Tropical Storm Fred | $ 400,000.00 | ||
| Utah | August 1, 2021, Extreme Statewide Flooding | $ 826,290.00 | $ 2,972,910.79 |
| April 27, 2019, Avalanche, Flood and Slope Repair | $ 1,587,783.76 | ||
| 2021 Intense and unusual wet monsoon storms | $ 558,837.03 | ||
| Vermont | 2019 Spring Flood | $ 486,949.00 | $ 486,949.00 |
| Virginia | 2023 Division Disaster Assessments | $ 949,572.77 | $ 6,779,198.03 |
| 2017 Hurricane Matthew | $ 72,086.00 | ||
| February 2018, Heavy rains and flooding | $ 1,019,051.00 | ||
| 2018 Tropical Storm Alberto | $ 2,559,304.26 | ||
| 2018 Hurricane Florence | $ 564,291.00 | ||
| May 2020 Philpott Lake flooding | $ 200,000.00 | ||
| May 2020, Southeast Storm | $ 409,653.00 | ||
| April 2020, Heavy Rains | $ 391,240.00 | ||
| May 21, 2020, Heavy Rains and Flooding | $ 614,000.00 | ||
| Washington | January 20, 2020, Severe Storms and Flooding | $ 5,106,074.00 | $ 27,218,719.00 |
| August 19, 2020, Numerous Statewide Wildfires | $ 478,320.00 | ||
| December 29, 2020, Atmospheric River and Windstorm Event | $ 400,000.00 | ||
| May 2, 2021, Bridge Damage from 3rd Party Collision on SR 518 in King County | $ 305,140.00 | ||
| June 24, 2021, Excessive Heat Event | $ 4,147,706.00 | ||
| September 27, 2021, 3rd Party Bridge Collision I-5 and 12th St. Snohomish County | $ 645,461.00 | ||
| November 12, 2021, Severe Winds, Rainstorms, Extensive Flooding, and Landslides | $ 4,283,222.00 | ||
| November 15, 2021, 3rd Party Bridge Collision on Koontz Road | $ 544,609.00 | ||
| December 17, 2021, Severe Rainstorm, Flooding and Avalanches | $ 1,022,033.00 | ||
| June 13, 2022, 3rd Party Bridge Collision Lind Ave Bridge I-405 | $ 1,504,587.00 | ||
| July 7, 2022, 3rd Party Bridge Collision Lieser Rd SR14 | $ 1,100,000.00 | ||
| February 2020 Rain and Flooding | $ 2,054,770.00 | ||
| 2022 WA Fall FS Storms and Flooding | $ 2,267,209.00 | ||
| 2022 Storms and Flooding | $ 2,713,995.00 | ||
| 2023 Division Disaster Assessments | $ 645,593.00 | ||
| West Virginia | October 2017 Flooding | $ 78,916.00 | $ 7,186,999.40 |
| August 2018, Flooding | $ 3,350,117.00 | ||
| June 30, 2019, Flooding | $ 3,757,966.40 | ||
| Wisconsin | August 20, 2018, Severe Storms and Flooding | $ 758,803.93 | $ 3,803,403.93 |
| March 2019, Flooding | $ 3,044,600.00 | ||
| Total | $ 749,072,174.68 | $ 749,072,174.68 | |
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