The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Apr. 25 that it has awarded $1.2 million to Oakland County, Michigan, for a project aimed at improving stormwater management in areas frequently affected by flooding after heavy rainfall.
The funding will be used to create four wetlands, restore a streambank, and construct water control structures. These efforts are expected to prevent repeated disruptions and flood damage along Telegraph Road, County Center Drive, and parking lots used by county employees and residents. This grant represents the final installment of a total $1.8 million FEMA award for the project.
According to FEMA, this allocation is part of more than $137 million distributed nationwide for over 50 projects designed to reduce disaster risk. The agency said that under Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s leadership, it is working through a backlog of funding requests despite an ongoing lapse in appropriations—the longest such lapse in U.S history at 69 days as of the announcement.
The grant comes from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which supports states, local governments, tribal nations, and territories in completing projects that reduce risks from future hazards and improve community resilience. For this particular initiative in Oakland County, FEMA will cover 90 percent of eligible costs while the county provides the remaining 10 percent. Additionally, FEMA will supply $104,977 for sub-recipient management costs to help Oakland County administer the grant.
As communities across the country continue facing severe weather events and related challenges with infrastructure resilience funding delays persist at the federal level—projects like this aim to provide long-term solutions while demonstrating continued government support.