texas
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FEMA denied or didn’t advance most Kerr County flood requests
Advocates are questioning why so many applicants from the flood-ravaged Texas county have not received federal disaster help. Nonprofits are trying to fill in the gaps.
Newsletter
Credit: Marco de Winter/Unsplash
Exxon steps back from Texas Gulf Coast plastics plant
Exxon Mobil will postpone its plans for a large new plastics production plant on the Gulf Coast of Texas, according to the company. Construction was initially planned to begin next year on the $10 billion facility in rural Calhoun County.
Newsletter
Credit: ttatty/Big Stock Photo
Solar and batteries break records, stabilize Texas grid through scorching summer
Texas solar power set 17 generation records this year while batteries hit four discharge highs, keeping the grid stable during extreme heat and outpacing coal.
Newsletter
Photo Credit: Getty Images For Unsplash+
Trump says America’s oil industry is cleaner than other countries’. New data shows massive emissions from Texas wells.
Texas regulators rejected just 53 out of more than 12,000 applications from oil companies looking to burn off natural gas in the study period.
Newsletter
Texas and Minnesota issue air pollution warnings, urging drivers to avoid idling and drive-thrus
Millions of residents in Texas and Minnesota were asked to change driving habits this week as forecasters warned of unhealthy air from wildfire smoke and ozone pollution.
In short:
- Wildfire smoke from Canada has pushed fine particle levels in Minnesota to “unhealthy” on the Air Quality Index, prompting alerts from Tuesday morning through Wednesday night.
- Texas faces high ground-level ozone levels in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Galveston and Brazoria, with officials declaring an “Ozone Action Day” and asking residents to limit car use.
- The National Weather Service and state agencies warned that vulnerable groups — including people with asthma, heart disease, older adults and children — face elevated health risks.
Key quote:
“The general public should limit prolonged or heavy exertion. Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices.”
— National Weather Service
Why this matters:
Fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone are among the most dangerous forms of air pollution, linked to respiratory distress, cardiovascular disease and premature death. Wildfire smoke, which travels hundreds of miles, adds to emissions from vehicles and power plants, compounding risks during heat waves that already strain lungs and hearts. Children and older adults are particularly susceptible because their bodies process pollutants differently. In parts of the United States, these conditions are expected to become more frequent and intense as climate change drives hotter summers and longer fire seasons, leaving millions exposed to air quality that can fluctuate day by day — or even hour by hour.
Related: Wildfires in Manitoba may release decades of hidden toxic metals, scientists warn
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Trump administration scales back FEMA mitigation funds as extreme floods rise
The Trump administration has sharply reduced federal hazard mitigation funds, breaking precedent and leaving states with fewer resources to prepare for worsening floods and storms.
In short:
- Federal hazard mitigation funds, which help states pay for warning systems and flood prevention, were denied in 16 of 18 disaster declarations under President Trump, including after deadly July floods in Texas.
- A coalition of 20 states is suing the federal government over cuts to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which lost $1 billion for flood control projects.
- Experts warn that as climate-driven extreme rainfall grows more frequent, cutting proactive funding increases financial and human risks, especially in areas with unmapped floodplains.
Key quote:
“Mitigation is a lifeline. It’s a way out of a really bad cycle of disaster, damage, repair, damage that a lot of folks of modest means really can’t escape.”
— Chad Berginnis, head of the Association of State Floodplain Managers
Why this matters:
Hazard mitigation funding is one of the few tools communities have to prepare for disasters before they strike, rather than scrambling afterward. Without it, towns in flood-prone areas face spiraling cycles of destruction and rebuilding that drain public budgets and displace families repeatedly. Flood damages already cost the United States tens of billions each year, and scientists expect that price to climb as warming temperatures fuel heavier downpours. Pulling back on mitigation not only shifts costs to states and local governments but also deepens exposure for residents who can least afford recovery.
Learn more: FEMA search and rescue leader quits amid Texas flood response delays
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Newsletter
FEMA delays disaster aid to multiple states while Texas receives rapid approval
President Donald Trump approved disaster aid for Texas within days of deadly flooding, but several other states and Native American tribes waited months for similar relief due to new federal review policies.
In short:
- At least 10 states and two tribes faced prolonged waits for federal disaster declarations, leaving communities without temporary housing, unemployment assistance, and debris removal.
- New Homeland Security rules now require sign-off on FEMA expenses over $100,000, slowing aid even during large-scale emergencies.
- Critics inside FEMA say the delays reflect political priorities and a “system stall” that burdens rural and low-income areas already stretched by repeated disasters.
Key quote:
“FEMA is built to move fast when lives and infrastructure are on the line. But it can’t do that if our highest levels of elected leadership treat disasters as inconvenient — or worse, as inconsistent with a selected narrative.”
— FEMA official with extensive disaster response experience
Why this matters:
When disaster aid is delayed, people already reeling from floods or fires can find themselves living in unsafe homes or temporary shelters for months. Federal disaster relief often funds essentials like clean water, food, and emergency housing — things states and tribes cannot always cover alone. As extreme weather events grow more frequent and destructive, uneven aid can deepen divides between well-resourced states and those with limited infrastructure. These gaps often hit rural and Indigenous communities hardest, forcing them to navigate bureaucratic hurdles while facing compounding crises such as damaged roads, closed hospitals, or contaminated drinking water. Delays can also slow rebuilding, leaving residents exposed to future storms and heat waves.
Read more: Texas flood response prompts scrutiny of FEMA delays and leadership
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