A collapsed garage crushes a car in the aftermath of extreme weather.

Trump's FEMA freeze delays disaster relief funding for storm-hit communities

The Trump administration’s halt on grant payments by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, triggered by Elon Musk’s social media claims, has stalled disaster aid for communities still recovering from Hurricane Helene and other recent climate-related catastrophes.

Christopher Flavelle, Eduardo Medina, and Luis Ferré-Sadurní report for The New York Times.

In short:

Elon Musk’s February social media post falsely accused FEMA of misusing disaster aid for migrant housing. Within hours, agency leadership froze payments on billions in grants and fired top officials involved in the transfers.
The freeze disrupted aid to states, nonprofits, and colleges, including payments for hurricane and wildfire recovery, housing support, and emergency infrastructure repair. Some groups may begin layoffs as early as this spring.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is now weighing a plan to dismantle FEMA entirely, further heightening uncertainty around federal disaster response.

Key quote:

“We have followed the rules. But the system is not working.”

— Damián J. Fernández, president of Warren Wilson College

Why this matters:

As climate-related disasters grow more intense and more frequent, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has become a lifeline for communities on the front lines of hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other crises. But when that support is delayed, frozen, or otherwise blocked, the consequences are swift and far-reaching. Families are forced to stay in temporary housing longer, local services like clinics and shelters stall, and small nonprofits that rely on FEMA reimbursements are left scrambling to stay afloat.

As climate change accelerates, recent moves by the Trump administration to consider dismantling FEMA has raised alarms, particularly in vulnerable rural and low-income areas. With more Americans than ever relying on the agency, questions are growing louder about whether the country’s disaster safety net is fraying just when it’s needed most.

www.nytimes.com

Trump's FEMA freeze delays disaster relief funding for storm-hit communities

EPA shifts scientists from research to chemical approvals, raising alarm over independence

Hawaii moves to sue Big Oil over climate costs; Trump administration strikes first

How fragile power grids and extreme weather combined to cause Europe’s biggest blackout in decades

Most North American bird species are declining as once-safe habitats falter

Trump accelerates environmental rollbacks at unprecedented pace in first 100 days

Trump administration moves to eliminate $2.4 billion in environmental justice grants

Canada’s new prime minister backs fossil fuels while promising Indigenous partnerships

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.