Rhode Island

RI AG Neronha joins lawsuit against Trump admin for canceled disaster prevention grants

Published

8 months ago

July 16, 2025

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RI AG Neronha joins lawsuit against Trump admin for canceled disaster prevention grants

Trump administration terminated a billion-dollar program aimed at protecting communities against natural disasters through infrastructure upgrades.
RI joined coalition of 20 states in filing the lawsuit against FEMA and Kristi Noem.
FEMA and Noem have come under scrutiny for their lackluster response to the Texas floods.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha sued the Trump administration on July 16 to stop the termination of a multibillion-dollar grant program aimed at protecting communities against natural disasters through infrastructure upgrade projects.

Neronha joined a coalition of 20 mostly Democrat-led states in filing the lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Boston federal court.

“There’s no denying that Rhode Island is particularly susceptible to the ever-increasing effects of climate change, which is why we need to stay ahead of the curve on mitigating risk,” said Neronha in a press release. “It’s high time we seriously ask ourselves if this is a federal government for the people, or for itself. Anyone who’s paying attention already knows the answer.”

The lawsuit comes just a couple weeks after devastating flooding in Texas killed over 130 people. In the weeks since, FEMA and Noem have come under scrutiny for their lackluster response to the disaster. According to reporting from The New York Times, the agency struggled to answer calls from survivors because call center contracts had not been extended. Noem has denied the reporting.

Joining Neronha in filing this lawsuit are attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

What is the BRIC program?

Neronha is suing over FEMA’s termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program in April.

The BRIC program provides communities with resources to fortify their infrastructure before natural disasters strike. It covers 75% of the costs of infrastructure programs (90% in rural areas) that are meant to protect communities from natural disasters.

According to the lawsuit, BRIC has provided about $4.5 billion in grants for nearly 2,000 projects over the past four years.

What is the disaster funding used for?

According to the Attorney General’s office, the funding has been used for “difficult-to-fund projects” like evacuation shelters and flood walls, safeguarding utility grids against wildfires, protecting wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, and fortifying bridges, roadways, and culverts.

In Rhode Island, the University of Rhode Island is currently using funding from the program to develop new and enhanced tools to map flood risk in Rhode Island for coastal and inland waters.

Why are the attorneys general suing?

FEMA said they terminated the BRIC program because it had been wasteful, ineffective and politicized.

But the attorneys general say that mitigation projects reduce injuries, save lives, protect property and save money, and that the ending of the program means that Americans face a “higher risk of harm from natural disasters.”

They say that the move to cancel the program is in violation of Congress’s decision to fund it and violates the Separation of Powers and the Administrative Procedures Act. They are also claiming that Cameron Hamilton, who gave the directive to terminate the BRIC program as the acting director of FEMA, was not properly appointed and therefore did not have the authority to cancel it.

“The President understands that he and his Administration do not have the power to unilaterally withhold Congressionally allocated funding to the states, and yet here we are again,” said Neronha. “Over the past six months, Democratic attorneys general from across the nation have sued to claw back rightfully allocated funds for everything from education and infrastructure to public health and emergency management.”

The attorneys general are seeking to prevent the termination of the BRIC program and restore the funds.

Contributing: Reuters

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island AG to unveil long-awaited report on Diocese of Providence clergy abuse

Published

6 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Rhode Island AG to unveil long-awaited report on Diocese of Providence clergy abuse

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will release on Wednesday findings from a multiyear investigation into child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.

According to the attorney general’s office, the report will detail the diocese’s handling of clergy abuse over decades.

While the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island is home to the country’s largest Catholic population per capita, with nearly 40% of the state identifying as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center.

Neronha first launched the investigation in 2019, nearly a year after a Pennsylvania grand jury report found more than 1,000 children had been abused by an estimated 300 priests in that state since the 1940s. The 2018 report is considered one of the broadest inquiries into child sexual abuse in U.S. history.

Neronha’s investigation involved entering into an agreement with the Diocese of Providence to gain access to all complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy dating back to 1950. Neronha’s office said in 2019 that the goal of the report was to determine how the diocese responded to past reports of child sexual abuse, identify any prosecutable cases, and ensure that no credibly accused clergy were in active ministry.

Rhode Island State Police also helped with the investigation.

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Rhode Island

St. Patrick’s Day 2026: Your Guide To Fun In Rhode Island

Published

18 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

St. Patrick’s Day 2026: Your Guide To Fun In Rhode Island

Rhode Islanders who plan to join in the global celebration of Irish culture can choose from big and small events, including a parade in Providence.

The March 17 holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, and many big events will be held the weekend of March 14-15. Originally a modest, religious feast day honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day today is a vibrant, boisterous holiday observed by millions of people regardless of their heritage.

The Providence parade is March 21.

We’ve rounded up 10 more events to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. But first, are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!

Here’s your guide to St. Patrick’s Day fun in Rhode Island:

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Rhode Island

Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

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Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash

Local News

The two victims were identified as a husband and wife from Rhode Island, local officials said.

A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.

Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.

Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.

At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.

The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said.

Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.

Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.