Trump team cuts funding for Beaufort Co. flood fixes. See what areas are affected
Beaufort County’s flood mitigation efforts are at risk after the federal government cut five projects and left others in limbo — forcing local municipalities to rethink how to protect flood-prone areas.
The decision to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program earlier this month and cancel all applications from 2020 to 2023 — combined with uncertainty surrounding the Flood Mitigation Assistance program — could jeopardize projects that the county has identified as essential to community safety and security.
From 2020 to 2023, Beaufort County, Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort submitted 10 projects aimed at elevating homes, managing stormwater and adapting to climate threats, according to a detailed Federal Emergency Management Agency spreadsheet. These projects fell under two federal programs: BRIC and FMA.
Both BRIC and FMA programs aim to reduce disaster risks, but they focus on different areas. BRIC supports a wide range of natural disaster mitigation projects, while FMA specifically targets flood mitigation for properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program.
An April 4 press release from Washington wrote that any BRIC funds not yet distributed will be returned to the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury per President Trump’s orders to eliminate “wasteful spending and improve government service.”
No decisions have been announced about the future of the FMA program.
The FEMA spreadsheet shows that most of these county projects remain under long-term review, with some already denied — despite demonstrating a high return on investment.
Beaufort County
The county submitted a project request in 2023, which requested $220,000 in federal funds through the FMA program and was categorized under mitigation reconstruction for a structure located within a designated special flood hazard area.
The project was identified for further review.
“As of right now the FMA grant program is still viable, and we hope to receive a favorable decision on that application,” Hannah Nichols, the county’s spokesperson, wrote in an email.
Hilton Head
FMA Projects:
Residential Structure Elevation (2020)
Total Cost: $201,000
Primary Activity: Elevation
Selection Status: Not Selected
Residential Structure Mitigation/Reconstruction (2020)
Total Cost: $173,999
Primary Activity: Mitigation Reconstruction
Selection Status: Identified for Further Review
Residential Structure Elevation (2021)
Total Cost: $174,500
Primary Activity: Elevation
Selection Status: Not Selected
Residential Structure Elevation (2022)
Total Cost: $183,240
Primary Activity: Elevation
Selection Status: Identified for Further Review
BRIC Projects:
The following BRIC projects were terminated by the federal government:
Jarvis Creek System Outfall (2021)
Total Cost: $476,700
Primary Activity: Flood Control (Stormwater Management)
Selection Status: Did Not Meet HMA Requirements
Climate Adaptation Plan (2021)
Total Cost: $75,000
Primary Activity: Planning Related Activities
Selection Status: Identified for Further Review
Wexford Stormwater Pump Station (2021)
Total Cost: $2,695,233
Primary Activity: Flood Control (Stormwater Management)
Selection Status: Did Not Meet HMA Requirements
Bluffton
A 2023 Bluffton project seeking funding through the now-terminated BRIC program focused on scoping potential mitigation strategies for flood-prone areas known as the Various Coves.
The town requested over $309,000 in funding to evaluate facilities, conduct engineering and environmental analyses and develop future mitigation project applications. The project aimed to address risks from flooding, infrastructure failure and tropical cyclones, with a strong emphasis on community safety and ensuring access to shelter, food and water during disasters.
Although the project was marked “Identified for Further Review,” it was not selected before the BRIC program was terminated.
Bluffton has not received any official notice about the status of its BRIC application and has yet to hear directly from either FEMA or the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, learning of the program’s cancellation only through FEMA’s website, Felicia Roth, Bluffton’s director of compliance and contracts, wrote in an email.
“Regarding the question of how we will now fund this project,” Roth wrote, “we will have to reconsider.”
Beaufort
The City of Beaufort’s Pidgeon Point Project, submitted in 2022 through the now-terminated BRIC program, is no longer eligible for funding.
The $226,800 scoping initiative aimed to support future flood mitigation by funding engineering, environmental and feasibility studies, as well as community outreach.
This story was originally published April 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM.
