North Carolina won a court ruling forcing FEMA to reinstate and fund the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, after the agency had canceled it and halted more than 60 infrastructure projects.

The North Carolina attorney general, who led the lawsuit, had previously secured a court order reinstating BRIC in July 2025, and the latest ruling reinforces that FEMA must restore the program and begin funding.

Following a period when FEMA paused BRIC and did not restart or fund existing projects or accept new applications, a multi-state legal action led by North Carolina sought and obtained a ruling mandating restoration.

A March 6 court directive orders FEMA to reinstate BRIC within a specified timeframe after previously defying a court order and being ordered to comply.

Attorney General Jackson said FEMA attempted to cancel the $200 million BRIC funding, the plaintiffs pursued court action and won, with renewed litigation after FEMA allegedly defied the order again.

As of the March ruling, FEMA had not yet reinstated the program; the agency has 14 days to show compliance and could face further action if it does not comply.

The BRIC program would provide North Carolina over $200 million for infrastructure protections, including water and sewer improvements, with about $7 million allocated to Hillsborough for relocating a pump station and expanding capacity and maintaining emergency water connections.

The dispute centers on enforcement of a court order requiring FEMA to disburse BRIC funds to North Carolina within a set timeframe.

The court cited factors such as staffing constraints, a budget freeze, and a new secretary of Homeland Security as possible reasons for partial noncompliance, and asked for 14- and 21-day status reports to monitor progress.

The March 6 order requires FEMA to open new BRIC grant applications within 21 days and to provide a timeline for funding existing projects.

Judge Stearns noted partial compliance with the December 11 summary judgment order, with several aspects still未 implemented, as the case moves forward.

The full court order has been released for review, with FEMA given a 14-day window to demonstrate compliance.