Summary
The Trump administration canceled a grant program, affecting funds that were promised to improve an Oregon hospital so it could handle earthquakes and tsunamis. This decision leaves Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria without $14 million needed for crucial safety upgrades.
Key Facts
- Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon, needs upgrades to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis.
- The hospital is located in the Cascadia subduction zone, which is prone to earthquakes.
- FEMA initially promised $14 million to help the hospital with these upgrades.
- The grant program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), was canceled in April by the Trump administration.
- This cancellation impacts over $3 billion in hazard mitigation funds across the country.
- The hospital began construction in September without having the FEMA funds.
- There is currently no alternative plan to cover the $14 million funding gap.
