Trump administration cancels $12 million grant for planned repairs to Richmond’s water treatment plant

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- President Donald Trump's administration has canceled a $12 million grant that Richmond was selected to receive for improvements to its water treatment plant in the aftermath of January's water crisis.

In an email sent by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to the City of Richmond on Friday, April 11, the department said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had canceled the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Notice of Funding Opportunity for fiscal years 2020 through 2024.

The cancelation of funds came "in alignment with the President’s Executive Orders and under the direction of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem," the email said.

Richmond's water treatment plant improvements were submitted for the fiscal year 2022, and funds would have been used to repair its feeder channel retaining wall and improve its pre-sedimentation berms, which redirect water flow.

Following the announcement, Mayor Danny Avula released a statement on social media.

"I'm disappointed to learn that FEMA will cancel a $12 million grant that the City was selected to receive," Avula said. "We'd planned on using these funds to invest in the resilience of our water treatment plant."

Avula added that the cancelation of funds will not impact immediate operations or delay improvements at the water treatment plant.

In addition, Avula urged FEMA to reissue the grant and said he plans to work with federal representatives.

"By cutting funding for critical infrastructure, the federal government is shifting significant costs directly onto our residents and ratepayers," Avula said. "I urge FEMA to reissue these funds, and I will work with our federal reps to advocate for our residents."

Sen. Mark Warner took to social media in the evening on Friday to call the cancelation of tens of millions of funds for resiliency projects across Virginia "unbelievable."

This comes roughly three months after Richmond and nearby residents were left with little to no water and under boil water advisories for days in the beginning of January following a malfunction at the city's water treatment plant.