Ohio Derailment: Head of EPA Visits East Palestine, But Residents Still Frustrated

A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. and a White House pledge to lend more support were met with skepticism in the community.

#air-pollution, #east-palestine-ohio, #environmental-protection-agency, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #hazardous-and-toxic-substances, #norfolk-southern-corporation, #railroad-accidents-and-safety, #water-pollution

Biden to Visit Storm-Ravaged Northern California

The president will travel to the San Jose and Santa Cruz areas in an effort to assess how much federal aid may be needed to help the state recover from weeks of winter storms.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #california, #criswell-deanne, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-aid-us, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #newsom-gavin, #san-jose-calif, #santa-cruz-calif, #united-states-politics-and-government

Deadly Twin Parks Fire Leads to a New Plan for Housing Safety

On the anniversary of the Twin Parks fire that killed 17 people, a federal agency will move to use new powers to investigate fire safety nationally.

#affordable-housing, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #fires-and-firefighters, #kavanagh-laura, #law-and-legislation, #new-york-city, #philadelphia-pa, #united-states-fire-administration

The New Covid Boosters Are Incredible, and Everyone Should Get One

Getting shots into arms isn’t rocket science, or at least it shouldn’t be.

#american-rescue-plan-2021, #austin-tex, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #deaths-fatalities, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #health-insurance-and-managed-care, #income-inequality, #poverty, #texas, #united-states-economy, #vaccination-and-immunization

Hurricane Ian Started a Clock Ticking for Dialysis Patients

With roads and bridges damaged and water and electricity out, people who rely on every-other-day dialysis treatments needed extraordinary efforts to survive the storm’s aftermath.

#american-renal-associates-holdings-inc, #charlotte-county-fla, #condore-michael, #davita-healthcare-partners-inc, #deaths-fatalities, #dialysis, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #fresenius-medical-care-agcompany-kgaa, #hurricane-ian-2022, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #kidneys, #lee-county-fla, #pine-island-fla, #water

Some Florida Residents Demand More Federal Aid After Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian inflicted its worst damage across several deeply Republican counties, where many voters express hostility toward President Biden and the federal government in general.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #desantis-ron, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-aid-us, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #florida, #fort-myers-fla, #fort-myers-beach-fla, #hurricane-ian-2022, #lee-county-fla, #pine-island-fla, #united-states-politics-and-government

Three Reasons Puerto Rico Is in the Dark

Hurricane Fiona’s devastation partly reflects several factors that preceded the storm.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #electric-light-and-power, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #global-warming, #hurricane-fiona-2022, #power-failures-and-blackouts, #puerto-rico, #united-states-politics-and-government

Puerto Rico’s Power Grid Was Fragile Even Before Hurricane Fiona

The island’s electrical grid has been crippled by a series of storms and other woes, including mismanagement.

#army-corps-of-engineers, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #hurricane-maria-2017, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #luma-energy, #pierluisi-pedro-r, #power-failures-and-blackouts, #puerto-rico, #puerto-rico-electric-power-authority, #whitefish-energy

Hurricane Maria Anniversary: Fiona Brings Back Painful Memories

Hurricane Maria landed in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 20, 2017.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #humanitarian-aid, #hurricane-maria-2017, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #puerto-rico, #rossello-ricardo-a-1979

After Hurricane Fiona, Puerto Rico Could Be Without Power For Days

The storm moved west into the Dominican Republic, as conditions in Puerto Rico remained too dangerous for repair workers early Monday.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #hurricane-maria-2017, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #landslides-and-mudslides, #pierluisi-pedro-r, #puerto-rico, #rain

Mississippi Crisis Highlights Climate Threat to Drinking Water Nationwide

Aging infrastructure and underinvestment have left many cities’ water systems in tatters. Now flooding and other climate shocks are pushing them to failure.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #environmental-protection-agency, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #global-warming, #infrastructure-public-works, #jackson-miss, #kentucky, #lumumba-chokwe-1983, #united-states, #water

How to Prepare Your Home for Severe Storms and Weather

With the cost and frequency of weather-driven disasters on the rise, taking steps to be ready is more crucial than ever.

#content-type-service, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #florida, #homeowners-insurance, #hurricane-ida-2021, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #louisiana, #national-assn-of-insurance-commissioners, #national-flood-insurance-program

We Will All End Up Paying for Someone Else’s Beach House

As extreme weather events compound, the obvious perils of waterfront living are growing both more obvious and more perilous.

#army-corps-of-engineers, #beaches, #coast-erosion, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #oceans-and-seas, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #sand-and-gravel

How the Government Is Failing Americans Uprooted by Natural Disaster

Climate change is creating a growing class of displaced Americans, and the federal government is struggling to decide how to help them.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-aid-us, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #gulf-coast-us, #housing-and-urban-development-department, #hurricane-laura-2020, #lake-charles-la, #louisiana

What Would a Climate Emergency Mean? Here Are 4 Key Points.

As 100 million Americans swelter under heat warnings, the president is considering whether to invoke special powers to address climate change.

#air-pollution, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #defense-production-act, #disasters-and-emergencies, #energy-and-power, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #global-warming, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #politics-and-government, #united-states-politics-and-government, #war-and-emergency-powers-us

Which States Are the Most Safe and Secure for Renters?

A recent study examined natural disasters, eviction rates and rental laws to determine where U.S. renters could feel most at home.

#evictions, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #renting-and-leasing-real-estate

New Mexico’s Largest Wildfire Was a Prescribed Burn. What Are Victims Owed?

Two prescribed burns got out of control, becoming New Mexico’s largest recorded wildfire. But experts say it’s necessary to thin forests in a region primed for destruction.

#federal-emergency-management-agency, #forest-service, #forests-and-forestry, #national-park-service, #new-mexico, #politics-and-government, #southwestern-states-us, #wildfires

As Climate Changes, Flood Rules Need Reform

As the climate changes, flood rules need reform to protect communities on the front lines.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #flood-insurance, #floods, #global-warming, #long-william-brock, #national-assn-of-home-builders, #national-flood-insurance-program, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #united-states, #wetlands

Covid Funeral Assistance Is an Underused Program

The government will reimburse up to $9,000 in funeral expenses for deaths related to the coronavirus. But most eligible survivors have yet to get relief.

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #deaths-fatalities, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #finances, #funerals-and-memorials, #national-funeral-directors-assn, #personal-finances

Colorado Residents Ponder the Road Ahead After Wildfires

Days after what might be the most damaging wildfire in state history, residents are just beginning to make sense of the long road back and the extent of the damage.

#colorado, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #polis-jared-s-1975, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #renters-insurance, #suburbs, #wildfires

Federal Officials Say Early Omicron Data Suggests a Less Deadly Wave

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci cautioned that hospitalizations and deaths could be lagging behind case counts.

#centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-omicron-variant, #fauci-anthony-s, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #national-guard, #new-year, #quarantines, #vaccination-and-immunization, #walensky-rochelle, #zients-jeffrey-d

‘We’re Still in It’: Biden Urges Calm as He Steps Up Omicron Fight

The president announced new plans including sending military medical professionals to overburdened hospitals and distributing 500 million free tests.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-omicron-variant, #disease-rates, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #speeches-and-statements, #tests-medical, #united-states-defense-and-military-forces, #united-states-politics-and-government, #vaccination-and-immunization

To Fight Omicron, Biden Plans Aid From Military and 500 Million Tests

The president is set to unveil his initiatives, which also include creating new federal testing sites and deploying federal vaccinators, in a speech on Tuesday.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-omicron-variant, #disease-rates, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #speeches-and-statements, #tests-medical, #united-states-defense-and-military-forces, #united-states-politics-and-government, #vaccination-and-immunization

Three Months After Hurricane Ida, Residents Are Still Waiting for FEMA Housing

As storms and fires become more severe, disaster housing policy has failed to keep up, leaving people displaced for months on end.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #enterprise-community-partners, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #homeland-security-department, #houma-la, #hurricane-ida-2021, #hurricane-laura-2020, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #lake-charles-la, #louisiana, #mobile-homes-and-trailers, #new-orleans-la

Billions for Climate Protection Fuel New Debate: Who Deserves It Most

The $1 trillion infrastructure law funds programs that tend to favor wealthy, white communities — a test for Biden’s pledge to defend the most vulnerable against climate change.

#federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #global-warming, #income-inequality, #infrastructure-public-works, #infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-2021, #united-states-politics-and-government

Archdiocese of New Orleans to Pay $1 Million to Settle FEMA Fraud Claims

The archdiocese was accused of participating in inflated damage claims to the federal government after Hurricane Katrina.

#federal-emergency-management-agency, #frauds-and-swindling, #hurricane-katrina-2005, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #justice-department, #new-orleans-la, #roman-catholic-church, #suits-and-litigation-civil, #xavier-university-of-louisiana

Infrastructure Bill Makes First Major U.S. Investment in Climate Resilience

The measure includes $47 billion to help communities prepare for the new age of extreme fires, floods, storms and droughts that scientists say are worsened by human-caused climate change.

#agriculture-department, #american-jobs-plan-2021, #army-corps-of-engineers, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #bureau-of-reclamation, #environmental-protection-agency, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #heat-and-heat-waves, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #infrastructure-public-works, #national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration, #united-states-politics-and-government, #water, #weather, #wildfires

FEMA Says It’s Still Working to Fix Racial Disparities in Disaster Aid

Officials were advised last year to address inequity in relief programs. A document issued Wednesday shows they are still trying to decide how.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #black-people, #disasters-and-emergencies, #discrimination, #federal-aid-us, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #global-warming, #race-and-ethnicity, #united-states-politics-and-government

Power Outages Plague Puerto Rico Despite LUMA Takeover

Transferring the power grid to a private company was supposed to help. But thousands protested last week over more blackouts.

#electric-light-and-power, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #hurricane-maria-2017, #luma-energy, #power-failures-and-blackouts, #puerto-rico, #puerto-rico-electric-power-authority

Should You Get Flood Insurance for Your Home?

Hurricane Ida was a wake-up call for many homeowners in the New York region, and there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re rethinking your homeowner’s insurance.

#basements-and-cellars, #content-type-service, #essex-county-nj, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #flood-insurance, #floods, #homeowners-insurance, #hurricane-ida-2021, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #national-flood-insurance-program, #quarantine-life-and-culture, #real-estate-and-housing-residential

New York Pledges $27 Million to Help Undocumented Immigrants Hit by Ida

‘I almost died,’ said one Queens resident who forced her way out of a basement apartment. Now she is eligible for help.

#basements-and-cellars, #de-blasio-bill, #deaths-fatalities, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #flushing-meadows-corona-park-queens-ny, #hochul-kathleen-c, #hurricane-ida-2021, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #immigration-and-emigration, #new-york-city, #new-york-state

Flood Insurance Costs Are Set to Skyrocket for Some

New federal flood insurance rates that better reflect the real risks of climate change are coming. For some, premiums will rise sharply.

#coastal-areas, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #flood-insurance, #floods, #florida, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #real-estate-and-housing-residential

He Was Swept Down a Sewer Pipe. ‘I Just Let the Water Take Me.’

Devastation from Hurricane Ida’s remnants stretched deep into New Jersey, forcing residents and officials to address “a new reality.”

#deaths-fatalities, #department-of-environmental-protection-nj, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #global-warming, #hurricane-ida-2021, #new-jersey, #rain, #rescues, #south-plainfield-nj

Disabled People Struggle to Evacuate From Wildfires

In Northern California, a region troubled by fire, many people with disabilities live in rural areas that lack the resources to support them during disasters.

#american-red-cross, #butte-county-calif, #direct-relief-charity, #disasters-and-emergencies, #evacuations-and-evacuees, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #fires-and-firefighters, #intellectual-disabilities, #paradise-calif, #plumas-county-calif, #rescues, #rural-areas, #san-jose-calif, #wildfires

New York and New Jersey Residents to Receive Federal Aid After Storm

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has estimated the state suffered at least $50 million in damages.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #hochul-kathleen-c, #hurricane-ida-2021, #murphy-philip-d-1957, #new-jersey, #new-york-state, #weather

Nearly a Week Without Power, New Orleans Is Facing a ‘Race With the Clock’

Forecasters are warning of dangerously high temperatures this weekend as 70 percent of the city remains without power after Hurricane Ida.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #electric-light-and-power, #entergy-corporation, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #heat-and-heat-waves, #hurricane-ida-2021, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #new-orleans-la, #power-failures-and-blackouts

Climate Change Is Bankrupting America’s Small Towns

Repeated shocks from hurricanes, fires and floods are pushing some rural communities, already struggling economically, to the brink of financial collapse.

#area-planning-and-renewal, #army-corps-of-engineers, #buildings-structures, #disasters-and-emergencies, #fair-bluff-nc, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #housing-and-urban-development-department, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #north-carolina, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #small-business, #southern-states-us, #urban-areas

The Dogs of 9/11: Their Failed Searches for Life Helped Sustain It

Two exhibitions in New York recognize the search and rescue dogs who combed through the World Trade Center wreckage, trying to find survivors.

#american-kennel-club-museum-of-the-dog, #dogs, #fausel-alan, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #greenwald-alice-m, #museums, #national-september-11-memorial-and-museum, #september-11-2001, #world-trade-center-manhattan-ny

How Government Decisions Left Tennessee Exposed to Deadly Flooding

Choices about building rules, insurance programs, flood maps and more put residents at higher risk, according to climate and disaster experts.

#building-construction, #deaths-fatalities, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #first-street-foundation, #flood-insurance, #floods, #global-warming, #humphreys-county-tenn, #local-government, #national-weather-service, #rain, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #tennessee

Dispossessed, Again: Climate Change Hits Native Americans Especially Hard

Many Native people were forced into the most undesirable areas of America, first by white settlers, then by the government. Now, parts of that marginal land are becoming uninhabitable.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #haaland-deb, #interior-department, #native-americans, #navajo-indians, #united-states-politics-and-government, #water

With Mass Vaccination Sites Winding Down, It’s All About the ‘Ground Game’

The shift away from high-volume centers is an acknowledgment of the harder road ahead: a highly targeted push, akin to get-out-the-vote efforts, to persuade the reluctant to get shots.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #fauci-anthony-s, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #newark-nj, #shutdowns-institutional, #states-us, #united-states-politics-and-government, #vaccination-and-immunization

How to Help Prepare Your Home for the Threat of Wildfires

There are measures you can take to help protect your property from wildfires, including clearing gutters, trimming brush and adding fire-resistant plants to your garden.

#cal-fire, #california, #content-type-service, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #fires-and-firefighters, #national-interagency-fire-center, #wildfires

FEMA Disaster Aid Often Widens Racial Disparities

The federal government often gives less help to Black disaster survivors than their white neighbors. That’s a challenge for President Biden, who has vowed to fight both inequality and climate change.

#black-people, #disasters-and-emergencies, #discrimination, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #finances, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #income-inequality, #lake-charles-la, #race-and-ethnicity, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #research, #whites

Biden Doubles FEMA Program to Prepare for Extreme Weather

At the outset of hurricane and wildfire season, the Biden administration is doubling to $1 billion a fund that helps communities prepare for disasters.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #united-states-politics-and-government

Facing Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons, FEMA Is Already Worn Out

Multiple missions, combined with years of record disasters, have strained the agency — and scientists predict an unusually severe disaster season ahead.

#disasters-and-emergencies, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #floods, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #wildfires

Biden Names Harris to Work With Central America on Migration

The president gave the vice president a prominent role in the politically charged issue at a time when thousands of children are being detained in facilities along the border.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #border-patrol-us, #central-america, #cuellar-henry, #customs-and-border-protection-us, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #foreign-aid, #health-and-human-services-department, #homeland-security-department, #illegal-immigration, #immigration-and-emigration, #trump-donald-j, #united-states-international-relations, #united-states-politics-and-government

Harris Visits Florida to Sell Stimulus Package in a Republican-Led State

The vice president urged Americans to get vaccinated and promoted programs like food assistance as the administration seeks to build public support amid partisan divisions in Washington.

#american-rescue-plan-2021, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #florida, #food-banks-and-pantries, #harris-kamala-d, #stimulus-economic, #united-states-politics-and-government, #vaccination-and-immunization

Cities Are Flouting Flood Rules. The Cost: $1 Billion.

Cities and towns nationwide are failing to properly restrict construction in flood zones, an analysis for The Times found, violating taxpayer-subsidized insurance rules.

#area-planning-and-renewal, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #federal-state-relations-us, #flood-insurance, #floods, #global-warming, #local-government, #national-flood-insurance-program, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #regulation-and-deregulation-of-industry, #united-states, #urban-areas, #zoning

Chuck Schumer Stalls Climate Overhaul of Flood Insurance Program

Senator Chuck Schumer is objecting to a plan that would raise costs for some of his constituents by bringing flood insurance rates in line with climate risks.

#coastal-areas, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #flood-insurance, #floods, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #schumer-charles-e

On Mexico’s Border With U.S.,Desperation as Migrant Traffic Piles Up

Mexico is struggling to deal with a new wave of migrants expelled from the U.S. while even more come north hoping to cross. Shelters that were empty four months ago are now having to turn many away.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #border-barriers, #customs-and-border-protection-us, #federal-emergency-management-agency, #homeland-security-department, #illegal-immigration, #immigration-and-emigration, #mexico, #smuggling, #texas, #trump-donald-j