Section 70006 of the IRA permits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide financial assistance for costs associated with low-carbon materials and incentives to encourage low-carbon and net-zero energy projects. The Administrator is authorized to provide this assistance under three sections of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5133(h), 42 U.S.C. § 5170c(a), and 42 U.S.C. § 5172(b), that authorize federal funding for natural disaster hazard mitigation efforts by state and local governments, as well as the repair or replacement of certain facilities destroyed by major disasters.
Section 70006 authorizes the Administrator to provide this assistance through September 30, 2026.
Eligible Entities:
Current Status:
Trump Administration Actions:
- FEMA Issues Guidance to Implement Low-Carbon Funding Assistance [12/17/2025]
- OMB Orders Temporary Pause on Financial Assistance Programs, Later Rescinded [01/27/2025]
- OMB Clarifies Scope of the Order to Halt IRA Spending [01/21/2025]
- Trump Issues Executive Order to Halt All IRA Funding Disbursements [01/20/2025]
Implementation Status at End of Biden Administration:
This section alters FEMA’s authority to provide financial assistance for low-carbon and net-zero projects through non-IRA funding streams, but does not directly appropriate funding for that purpose. FEMA has released guidance and resources related to implementing this section and has indicated it plans to continue to exercise its new authority indefinitely.
Biden Administration Actions:
- FEMA Releases New Resources to Reduce Climate Emissions in Hazard Mitigation Projects [09/24/2024]
- FEMA Exercises Its IRA Authority to Fund Low-Carbon Materials in Public Assistance Projects [07/06/2023]
- FEMA Announces Plans to Fund Low-Carbon Materials [03/28/2023]
- DOI Launches Funding Program for Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation [11/30/2022]