A federal judge has decided not to compel the Trump administration to provide immediate financial reimbursement for upgrades to the national emergency alert system across several public broadcasting stations. This decision comes after the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) filed a lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last Thursday. The CPB contends that FEMA is unlawfully holding up nearly $2 million in grants intended for system modernization, consequently hindering the capability of federal, state, and local authorities to dispatch real-time emergency alerts.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled against the CPB’s plea for a court order, stating that the organization failed to meet the legal criteria needed to demonstrate irreparable harm. Specifically, Kelly concluded that the CPB hasn’t shown that the alert system would cease operations without the immediate release of grant funds, thus denying the CPB’s request for a temporary restraining order.
“This circuit mandates a stringent standard for demonstrating irreparable injury,” remarked Kelly. “Based on the current record, I do not believe the CPB has met this standard.”
The lawsuit is part of a wider array of legal complaints alleging that the Trump administration has illegally withheld funds across various programs and services. The national Emergency Alert System plays a crucial role in allowing government officials to issue disaster notifications concerning events such as flash floods, blizzards, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
The CPB, responsible for managing government funds designated for public radio and television stations, claims that FEMA is shrouding the fact it is withholding the grant money. According to the CPB, a Feb. 18 hold on funds has impeded it from making reimbursement requests under a $40 million Next Generation Warning System grant program, which aids public media stations in updating their alert equipment. Over 40 stations benefit from this specific grant initiative.
However, government attorneys refute the claim that FEMA is obstructing access to program funding. “The Agency, on the contrary, has revised its evaluation process for payment requests — a procedure aligned with its authority to protect public finances and ensure grant programs remain free from waste, fraud, and abuse,” they stated in a recent court document.
Attorneys for the CPB counter that there has been no evidence of waste, fraud, or abuse presented by FEMA. They argue, “Over nearly three years, FEMA has deeply engaged in every phase of deploying new emergency broadcast equipment, from approving specific site installations to monitoring financial and technical progress via monthly and quarterly reports.”
Established by Congress in 1967, the CPB is a private entity that allocates over 70% of its funds to more than 1,500 public radio and television stations nationwide. President Donald Trump appointed Judge Timothy Kelly during his first term in office.
