With the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season fast approaching, U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are calling on FEMA to immediately unfreeze millions in federal grant payments intended to strengthen emergency alert systems at public radio stations nationwide.
In a bipartisan letter addressed to Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, the senators urge the agency to resume payments under the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program. Administered through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, these grants reimburse stations for vital infrastructure upgrades that enable them to deliver emergency alerts during extreme weather events and other disasters.
Since February 19, FEMA has suspended access to the payment processing system, effectively freezing nearly $2 million in reimbursements. This unexpected pause is jeopardizing critical resiliency projects at 42 public radio stations across 23 states, many of which are now facing significant financial strain. Without access to the promised funds, stations may be forced to postpone or cancel essential improvements designed to keep broadcasts uninterrupted during crises.
Funded by Congress with $136 million over three years, the NGWS program is a key component of the nation’s disaster preparedness strategy. Its goal is to ensure public radio—often the only source of information in rural or underserved communities—remains a reliable lifeline during natural disasters. In the program’s first round of grants, stations in hurricane-prone states such as Louisiana and Tennessee received millions in support. Both states have experienced severe flooding and storm damage within the past year, highlighting the need for robust alert systems.
The urgency is compounded by recent forecasts from researchers at North Carolina State University, predicting 12 to 15 named storms in the upcoming hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Of those, six to eight are expected to develop into hurricanes, with two or three potentially reaching major hurricane status.
Stations in Alaska—Sen. Murkowski’s home state—have also benefited from NGWS funding. In many remote parts of the state, public radio is the only means of communication during emergencies. The senators argue that the grant freeze is undermining the ability of these stations to serve their communities effectively.
“Public broadcasters—who have already spent money to upgrade their infrastructure—may face financial challenges without promised reimbursements,” the senators wrote. “To put it simply: this funding freeze is unnecessarily threatening public safety.”
Senators Markey and Murkowski are requesting a written response from FEMA by April 29, explaining the reasons behind the freeze and providing a clear timeline for when grant payments will resume.