Biden-Harris Administration Announces $26 Million in Awards for the State Assistance Dam Safety Grant Program

Made Possible by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Provide Funding to Protect Dams and Protect Communities from Disasters

WASHINGTON -- FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell today announced the Biden-Harris Administration will commit $26.3 million in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to enhance dam safety efforts across the nation to ensure that communities have the critical infrastructure needed to protect against future disasters like extreme drought and flooding. 

"Dams are a critical part of the nation’s infrastructure, yet many are aging and deteriorating and dam failure may occur within hours of the first signs of breaching because of intense storms. Empowered by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these funds will go toward providing effective programs like training personnel, increasing inspections and identifying repairs to ensure their dams continue to protect human life," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. "These programs are valuable investments given how critical dams are in communities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has empowered FEMA to take similar actions across the agency to ensure that our nation's vital infrastructure is able to withstand the effects of climate change.”

This investment for the National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This infrastructure funding will help protect communities from flooding, avoid disaster costs and strengthen resilience to climate change. This announcement aligns with the FEMA Year of Resilience theme to build local capacity to withstand tomorrow’s hazards.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing nearly $6.8 billion toward community-wide resilience to reduce disaster suffering and avoid future disaster costs for five FEMA grant programs. FEMA’s two dam safety programs received funding over five years to help state, territorial and local governments take action to address high hazard potential dams that pose dangers to life and property if they fail. The grant awards may be viewed on FEMA’s website.

The National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program is available for any state or territory with an enacted dam safety program. These grants establish and maintain effective state programs to ensure dam safety and protect communities from increasing threats from climate change.  

The state administrative agency, or an equivalent state agency, is eligible to apply. Each eligible state or territory may submit only one grant application. The program’s goals are:

• Reduce risks to life and property associated with dams.
• Increase awareness of the benefits and risks associated with dam infrastructure.
• Advance the state of practice of dam safety and dam risk management.

The application period for this grant cycle closed on Feb. 29, 2024. For more information, visit FEMA’s dam safety webpage on FEMA.gov.