Exclusive: Trump administration drops work on stronger building codes for disasters [View all]
Source: NPR
February 20, 2025 5:05 PM ET
For the past 25 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has helped develop building codes, the construction standards that help houses survive hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes. Now, the Trump Administration has ordered that to stop, according to people involved with the work.
NPR has learned that FEMA is dropping out of the latest effort to improve building codes, taking its name off recommendations that its experts have already developed and submitted, according to several people with knowledge of the changes. They spoke on the condition of anonymity over concerns of reprisal from the Trump administration.
The recommendations FEMA submitted were filed with the International Code Council, an independent association that develops building codes used by states and local governments, since the U.S. does not have a national set of codes. The proposals FEMA is retracting its involvement from focus on helping homes survive strong winds, seismic shaking and rising floodwaters.
FEMA did not respond to questions about why it made the request and the ICC did not respond to questions about whether they were honoring it.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5303478/fema-trump-building-codes-floods-hurricane-disasters
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