Impacts

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has stopped enforcing a rule requiring schools, libraries and other public buildings in flood zones to be rebuilt with protections against future flooding, a move experts say could endanger public safety and violate federal law.

Christopher Flavelle reports for The New York Times.

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The Trump administration has frozen federal funding for wildfire mitigation projects, stalling efforts to reduce fire risks even as the president continues to push for more aggressive forest management.

Claire Rush, Matthew Brown and Chris Megerian report for The Associated Press.

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Four months after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North Carolina and Tennessee, survivors struggle to rebuild without adequate aid, while disinformation fuels skepticism about the storm’s causes and government response.

Nina Lakhani reports for The Guardian.

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Wildfires that scorched coastal communities near Los Angeles have sent ash, heavy metals and hazardous debris into the Pacific Ocean, raising concerns about water safety and marine life.

Dorany Pineda reports for The Associated Press.

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The U.S. Forest Service is firing 3,400 employees, affecting roles in wildfire prevention, timber production and land restoration, following the deadline for a Trump administration program that encouraged voluntary resignations.

Marcia Brown and Jordan Wolman report for POLITICO.

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Global temperatures have surged in the past two years, and researchers now say a drop in cloud cover may be fueling the rise — and possibly triggering a feedback loop that accelerates warming.

Shannon Osaka reports for The Washington Post.

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A year of extreme storms in 2023 failed to replenish Los Angeles’ deep groundwater supply, leaving aquifers struggling to recover from years of drought, a new study finds.

Sharon Udasin reports for The Hill.

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Human activities are increasing the risk of emerging infectious diseases, with climate change, habitat destruction and agricultural expansion creating conditions for pathogens to spread between wildlife, livestock and people.

Ruth Kamnitzer reports for Mongabay.

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The Los Angeles fires claimed 29 lives, most of them elderly, highlighting the deadly risks climate-intensified disasters pose to older adults.

Sarah Kaplan and Emily Wax-Thibodeaux report for The Washington Post.

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Scientists were blindsided when the Trump administration killed a first-of-its-kind U.S. nature assessment, but key experts say they’ll finish it without government support.

Catrin Einhorn reports for The New York Times.

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Indigenous women, youth and activists gathered at the New Mexico State Capitol to demand action on climate justice, resource extraction and environmental health concerns affecting their communities.

Noel Lyn Smith reports for Inside Climate News.

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Killer whales, or orca, are moving into Arctic waters once blocked by ice, preying on narwhal, beluga and bowhead whales and raising concerns about their impact on endangered species and Inuit hunting traditions.

Ed Struzik reports for Yale Environment 360.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not conduct soil testing after clearing debris from Los Angeles County properties burned by recent wildfires, leaving homeowners and local officials concerned about lingering toxic contamination.

Tony Briscoe reports for Los Angeles Times.

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The Trump administration’s effort to dismantle USAID could cost state universities hundreds of millions in research grants, affecting projects in agriculture, education and public health worldwide.

Shalina Chatlani reports for Stateline.

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The Securities and Exchange Commission is pausing its legal defense of a rule requiring public companies to disclose climate-related risks, a move that could lead to its repeal.

Matthew Goldstein reports for The New York Times.

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Tribal and community organizations awarded federal climate grants remain unable to access funds due to the Trump administration’s freeze, despite court orders requiring their release.

Naveena Sadasivam reports for Grist.

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As California officials rush to clear debris from the Eaton and Palisades fires, residents near temporary hazardous waste sites fear long-term environmental harm.

Kate Selig, Jesus Jiménez and Mimi Dwyer report for The New York Times.

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The Commerce Department has directed the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to review and identify climate-related grants, prompting concerns that funding for climate research and mitigation efforts could be at risk.

Christopher Flavelle, Austyn Gaffney and Raymond Zhong report for The New York Times.

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