In North Carolina, Trump suggests abolishing FEMA

OVERSIGHT: ​“It’s very bureaucratic and it’s very slow”: During a trip to western North Carolina to view damage from Hurricane Helene, President Trump suggests abolishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and leaving disaster response to states. (Blue Ridge Public Radio, Politico)

RENEWABLES: Texas lawmakers file a series of bills to create new regulatory hurdles for battery, solar and wind projects despite escalating power demand. (San Antonio Express-News)

CARBON CAPTURE: A proposed Oklahoma carbon capture hub receives an $18.7 million federal grant for a study of ways to store carbon underground without extracting fossil fuels. (StateImpact Oklahoma)

SOLAR: BP’s solar subsidiary commissions a 187 MW solar farm in Texas to power a joint venture between Exxon Mobil and a Saudi chemical manufacturer. (PV Tech)

PIPELINES: A pipeline company holds a public meeting in Alabama about its plans to build a 21-mile addition to a pipeline that runs between Louisiana and South Carolina. (Selma Times-Journal)

WIND: Trump’s executive order blocking new leases and permits for offshore wind projects halts developers who hold leases in four areas off North Carolina, blocking them from receiving permits and risking as much as $25 billion in future investment. (Raleigh News & Observer)

HYDROGEN: West Virginia U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito expects funding to continue for a proposed Appalachian hydrogen hub despite Trump’s pause on projects that are part of the 2021 infrastructure package. (WV News)

CLIMATE:

• The rising cost of coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program resulted in 70,000 dropped policies in Louisiana from 2022 to 2024, which paired with the state’s ongoing home insurance crisis is leading to higher payments for those who keep flood insurance. (Louisiana Illuminator)
• Advocates criticize Texas because it doesn’t track where homeowners are being dropped by their insurance providers due to increasing climate risks, which they argue is necessary to understand what parts of the state most need relief. (Houston Chronicle)
• Virginia lawmakers file a series of bills to address climate change, including one requiring buyers disclose flood risk and others to address rising seas and more extreme storms. (Virginia Mercury)

POLITICS: New West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey launches a ​“Backyard Brawl” initiative to develop energy infrastructure to compete with neighboring states for business and economic growth. (West Virginia Watch)