How FEMA's funding crisis could be an October Surprise

Plus, Google and Microsoft kick off the era of borrowed energy

In today’s edition:

— FEMA funding crisis puts climate issue front and center for election

— Google and Microsoft kick off era of borrowed energy

— British government scraps plans to merge two institutions into a national green fund

— What will our world look like at 4°C? Not good, according to new PBS documentary

— Fifty-five million acres burned in Brazil this year, half of them in the Amazon

— Plus, how climate change is shifting temperature patterns across the U.S.

Florida National Guard soldiers help residents of Fort Pierce, Fla. after tornadoes from Hurricane Milton swept across the region. Photo: U.S. National Guard.

Stung by two costly hurricanes less than a week apart, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is facing a funding crisis after spending almost half of the $20 billion allocated to it in September as part of the government stopgap spending extension through the end of 2024.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said last week, just as Hurricane Milton was about to make land in Florida, that the agency was evaluating how quickly it was burning through remaining dollars in its Disaster Relief Fund, amid calls from both sides of the aisle of Congress to look at the issue.

The fiscal crunch will certainly add to the political circus going on around FEMA this hurricane season as the election nears. The agency, citing political disinformation put out by campaigns, said Monday that it had to relocate certain rescue and aid operations in North Carolina over the weekend because armed militias had shown up to harass workers.

All of this — and with another hurricane on the way — sets up a colossal battle over emergency funding with just three weeks to go before the election; a battle almost certain to be fought over hyped-up accusations rather than financial management. Caught in the middle are the thousands of people who’ve lost their homes or livelihoods because of the hurricanes, and the ones still to come if another storm hits.

The decision likely stands with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who must decide whether the crisis is urgent enough to convene Congress during its election break. So far he has stood firm against it. Apparently, FEMA’s vulnerability is too good a talking point to address until the election is over. Another hurricane may change those calculations. . . .

Don’t forget to contact me directly if you have suggestions or ideas dcallaway@callawayclimateinsights.com.

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Google, Microsoft kick off era of borrowed energy

Three Mile Island, seen here in 2019, prior to shutdown. Photo: Constellation Energy/Wikimedia.