A new loan program to help communities combat natural disasters was announced on Tuesday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Safeguarding Tomorrow Loan Program will provide low-interest loans to local governments to prepare for natural disasters.
FEMA officials say the first $50 million of the fund is available right now.
Michigan Senator Gary Peters said the funding will help communities who will inevitably be impacted by climate change.
"I think the results are going to be very clear as this project goes forward that this is something that we are proud that we invested in and probably realize more investment of this nature is going to be necessary," said Peters at a press conference. "If we can make investments in resilience and make that infrastructure stronger up front it makes a whole lot more sense."
Peters is the author of a new law that requires FEMA to keep a database of communities who are vulnerable to natural disasters. He said the new loan program will work well with the upcoming database.
