Maine has joined nearly two dozen other states in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Trump’ administration’s termination of a program to help communities prepare for natural disasters.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, seeks to restore funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, an emergency preparedness program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Once again the Administration is attempting to unilaterally withhold Congressionally designated funds that serve critical roles in our communities,” Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey said in a written statement.

“Congress created BRIC to ensure that preventable disasters can indeed be avoided, especially in communities like those in Maine that are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Given the scale of the disasters we have witnessed just over the past month across the country, it is inconceivable that anyone could support such a decision.”

The program has provided $4.5 billion in funding for nearly 2,000 infrastructure projects across the country to help fortify communities and proactively address risks associated with natural disasters, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint, initiated by the state of Washington, says the program was illegally shut down by “the unlawfully installed” former FEMA administrator Cameron Hamilton, and claims the move violates the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution by terminating a program established by Congress without its consent.

“The impact of the shutdown has been devastating,” the suit claims. “Communities across the country are being forced to delay, scale back, or cancel hundreds of mitigation projects depending on this funding. Projects that have been in development for years, and in which communities have invested millions of dollars for planning, permitting, and environmental review are now threatened. And in the meantime, Americans across the country face a higher risk of harm from natural disasters.”

The Trump administration has faced numerous lawsuits, most initiated by Democratic-led states, during its first six months in office. Many have challenged aggressive cuts to federal agencies, but in some cases the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Trump’s favor. On Monday, the court sided with the administration in a decision that effectively allows it to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

Since January, Maine has joined 26 cases against the administration and filed three other cases on its own, according to the Office of the Maine Attorney General.

As many as 18 projects in Maine have been affected, including three that lost funding and 15 that lost potential funding, according to the Maine Emergency Management Agency.

The suit says one of the projects is the rebuilding of coastal sand dunes in York County, which were damaged in coastal flooding in January 2024, causing $70 million in damage for public and private property and infrastructure. The communities lost $41.4 million to rebuild the sand dunes, which provide a protective buffer for coastal properties.

Other states joining the lawsuit are Massachusetts, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.