Office of Marketing and Communications 

Email

City of Savannah Awarded $30 million ‘Justice40’ Grant

FEMA award will address Springfield Canal drainage 

SAVANNAH (Dec. 29, 2023) – The City of Savannah has been awarded a $30 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant in a phased release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address drainage issues around the Springfield Canal in the Historic Carver Village and Cloverdale neighborhoods. 

The City has received $2.7 million for phase one, which will cover surveying and engineering costs.  After review of phase one deliverables, FEMA will release another $27.3 million towards construction work associated with future projects located within the Springfield Canal basin. 

The scheduled timeline of the phased improvements will occur over the next five years. The total improvements for the Springfield Canal will cost $42 million, with 75% of the funding coming from the Federal BRIC grant. A 25% match from the City will fund the remaining $12 million. 

“This is an historic moment for the City of Savannah as we continue to tackle issues of flooding in the Carver Village and Cloverdale neighborhoods,” Mayor Van R. Johnson, II said. “We have done a lot over the years to address historic flooding around the Springfield Canal but with this federal assistance we will be able to initiate mitigation of flooding issues that will benefit these neighborhoods and the entire Westside of Savannah for generations to come.”  

The Justice40 Initiative was introduced last year by the Biden Administration. The initiative aims to provide Federal investments to secure environmental justice and spur economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. 

The City will work with partners at FEMA and Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), along with community organizations on the execution of the planned proposal. 

“We are grateful to our partners in the Federal and State governments for seeing the importance of addressing flooding issues along the Springfield Canal,” City Manager Jay Melder said. “This grant will help us improve the lives of so many residents in these historic neighborhoods and is part of a continued effort to get back to the basics of good government. It is imperative we work toward common sense solutions and partnerships that serve the entire City and especially those neighborhoods that have long been underserved.” 

Proposed improvements will convey stormwater runoff from existing ground to the Springfield Canal to minimize flooding potential in the communities around the canal. The City of Savannah and partners are planning an event in February to announce more details regarding the grant award and future stormwater management improvements. 

# # #