The FEMA, under the Trump administration, has faced heavy criticism for refusing important disaster relief and hazard prevention grants to multiple states, including Kentucky and Maryland. At the same time, the administration is pushing a policy that forces state governments to take on more of the financial and logistical work of disaster recovery.
This move has led to legal fights from many states and has caused worries about whether the country is ready to handle worsening natural disasters. In recent rulings, FEMA turned down requests from three Kentucky counties for federal help after severe storms last spring. The agency said the state did not qualify for hazard prevention grants meant to prepare for future disasters. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear shared his frustration.
