Homes in Florida perched on the edge of a beach dune eroded by a hurricane.

New FEMA chief says states must take the lead on disaster recovery this hurricane season

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will shift more responsibility for disaster response and recovery to states ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, according to its acting chief.

Gabriela Aoun Angueira reports for The Associated Press.


In short:

  • Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson told staff the agency will prioritize state-led disaster response, with the federal government stepping in “when deemed necessary.”
  • President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have signaled interest in scaling back or eliminating FEMA entirely, with Richardson ordered to align the agency with this vision.
  • States like Texas and Florida are seen as ready to handle more disaster responsibilities, while others may lose the typical 75% federal cost-share for recovery, forcing them to rely more heavily on state funds.

Key quote:

“It’s unclear what they mean when they say returning primacy to the states. What does that mean when certain states don’t have the resources in their own budgets to respond to and recover from catastrophic events?”

— Jeremy Edwards, FEMA deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration

Why this matters:

As climate-fueled disasters increase in size and frequency, FEMA’s decision to reduce its role could leave many states unprepared and underfunded during emergencies. In 2024, the U.S. saw 90 major disaster declarations and 27 billion-dollar climate disasters. If states must now finance more of their disaster recovery alone, disparities in outcomes may widen. Critics argue this shift could result in a patchwork of responses across the country, with some regions better protected than others. With hurricane season just weeks away, the consequences of this policy change could become evident very soon.

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Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

  • Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
  • The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
  • Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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