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Texas on Track for Record-Breaking Year of Billion-Dollar Natural Disasters

Summary

Texas is facing an unprecedented number of natural disasters in 2024, with 16 events already causing over $1 billion in damages each, matching the total from 2023. This record could be surpassed with the upcoming peak hurricane season, fall severe weather, and winter storms. Historically, hurricanes have been the most damaging, with Hurricane Harvey in 2017 alone accounting for 96% of that year's disaster costs. As these events become more frequent and intense, coupled with Texas' rapidly growing population, more people are being impacted, raising concerns about the link between these changes and climate change.

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September 12, 2025
Human Health
Human Health

Houston leads major U.S. cities in poverty, with 21.2% of residents—over 500,000 people—living below the federal threshold...

September 2, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

After 26 years at EPA, environmental justice pioneer Charles Lee retires and joins Howard University’s Environmental and Climate Justice Center, arguing that despite Trump...

August 29, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Two decades after Hurricane Katrina, overlooked survivors are reclaiming their narratives through TikTok, challenging long-standing portrayals from 2005.

August 11, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The Sierra Club fired Executive Director Ben Jealous after no-confidence votes, budget cuts, layoffs, and misconduct concerns. Union leaders welcomed his departure...

August 11, 2025
Environmental
Environmental

U.S. clean hydrogen projects are collapsing amid shortened tax credit deadlines, rising energy costs, and policy shifts, leaving most proposals ineligible and investors...

August 5, 2025
Climate Justice
Climate Justice

A coalition of nonprofits, tribes, and local governments filed a class-action lawsuit against the EPA, demanding reinstatement of a $3bn climate justice grant program halted...

August 3, 2025
Climate
Climate

The Trump administration’s move to revoke the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases marks a major policy reversal, undermining decades of climate protections...

July 25, 2025
Climate
Climate

Ben Jealous was placed on leave by the Sierra Club amid widespread internal dissent over his leadership, with staff citing failed vision, contentious layoffs...

July 24, 2025
Climate Justice
Climate Justice

The UN's International Court of Justice declared climate change a human rights issue, advising that nations must act or risk reparations, influencing global litigation...

July 23, 2025
Education
Education

The Trump administration has targeted over 4,000 federal grants worth up to $8.2 billion for termination across 600+ U.S. colleges, disproportionately affecting public...

July 23, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The USDA under the Trump administration has eliminated the term “socially disadvantaged” from its policies, ending race- and gender-based support programs for minority farmers...

July 17, 2025
Legal & Legislation
Legal & Legislation

President Trump's elimination of federal DEI programs has halted essential USDA funding to East Texas Black farmers, further endangering their livelihoods amid decades...

July 11, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Residents in the Shiloh Community have fought for years to remedy excessive storm water runoff caused by an elevated highway. Now they’re suing.

July 9, 2025
Climate
Climate

Amid devastating Texas floods, FEMA’s delayed response raises concerns as President Trump pushes to dismantle the agency, shifting disaster management costs...

July 2, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The Supreme Court let stand a $14.25 million penalty against ExxonMobil for over 16,000 Clean Air Act violations at its Baytown plant...