Fresh Air: Rising Floods, Cuts To FEMA And Future Chaos

Episode: Rising Floods, Cuts To FEMA And Future Chaos
Release Date: July 16, 2025
Host: Tonya Moseley
Guest: Abram Lustgarten, Investigative Journalist and Editor at Large, ProPublica

1. Introduction

Tonya Moseley opens the episode by addressing the devastating floods in Central Texas that occurred on July 4, which led to the deaths of over 130 people, including children at a summer camp, and left more than a hundred missing. The floodwaters of the Guadalupe River rose between 30 and 40 feet, showcasing the severity of the disaster. Abram Lustgarten joins Mede to delve into the factors contributing to this catastrophe, focusing on climate change, federal policy cuts, and the systemic failures in disaster response.

2. The Texas Flood Catastrophe: Overview and Immediate Response

Moseley highlights the tragic loss of life and questions the immediate response to the floods. She notes that FEMA reportedly failed to respond to nearly two-thirds of urgent calls for help, relying instead on unreliable cell phone alerts that were too late to be effective. Lustgarten emphasizes the human toll, especially the loss of children, underscoring the increasing lethality of such disasters.

Abram Lustgarten [02:28]: "It's particularly disturbing or heart-wrenching to read about so many children perishing in these disasters. It's certainly underscoring the intensification of the loss of human life as these disasters get more and more intense."

3. Climate Change and Increasing Flood Intensity

The discussion moves to the role of climate change in exacerbating flood events. Lustgarten explains how a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to more intense and frequent rainfall events. He references historical events like Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Harvey to illustrate the growing pattern of extreme weather.

Abram Lustgarten [03:25]: "Flooding is the deadliest of disasters in the United States. And floods are growing in intensity and in frequency, just like all climate disasters."

4. Impact of FEMA and Budget Cuts

Moseley raises concerns about whether President Trump's budget cuts to FEMA and the National Weather Service have hindered the response to the Texas floods. Lustgarten acknowledges the complexity of the issue, pointing out that while the National Weather Service may have performed adequately at the local level, senior officials within the agency faced understaffing and reduced capacity to interpret climate models effectively.

Abram Lustgarten [07:21]: "We have a confluence of two very worrying trends. ... climate change ... is coinciding with a deliberate undermining of capability to address that other emergency."

5. Policy Failures and FEMA's Role

The conversation delves deeper into FEMA's critical role in disaster response and the implications of its budget cuts. Lustgarten clarifies that while FEMA is often criticized for bureaucracy, it remains essential for funding and supporting state and local disaster responses. He argues against the notion that states can independently manage disasters without federal support.

Abram Lustgarten [09:23]: "States like Texas depend on FEMA funding for upwards of 75% of their disaster response funding. ... you can't remove FEMA funding one year as disasters continue to mount annually, and expect those states to be able to protect and serve the people who live in them."

6. Warning Systems and Local Response Failures

Moseley questions the efficacy of the warning systems in place during the Texas floods. Lustgarten points out significant communication breakdowns, including the lack of adequate cell phone and internet communication, absence of nighttime warnings, and the critical issue of locating structures within designated floodways.

Abram Lustgarten [13:54]: "There was not a cohesive warning system, especially along the Guadalupe River. ... there's an enormous amount of communication breakdown around the emergency unfolding in Texas."

7. Climate Migration and Economic Impacts

The discussion shifts to the broader implications of climate-related disasters on population movements and local economies. Lustgarten explains that while climate migration is being observed anecdotally, predicting the exact patterns is challenging due to various influencing factors such as economic opportunities and family ties.

Abram Lustgarten [34:53]: "That's the compounding effect of that over time when insurance rates rise, or home electricity rates rise, ... it's the compounding effect that drives an economic shift."

8. Global Climate Policy and US Withdrawal

Lustgarten discusses the closure of the Office of Global Change and its impact on the United States' participation in global climate negotiations. He warns that this withdrawal relegates the U.S. to a passive role, undermining global efforts to combat climate change and positioning the country as economically disadvantaged in the long run.

Abram Lustgarten [22:26]: "It means that the United States is not participating in any aspect of global efforts to address climate change. ... we're relegating the United States to the role of a bystander."

9. Food Supply Challenges

Exploring the intersection of climate change and food security, Lustgarten highlights the risks posed by decreasing water availability and the depletion of crucial resources like the Ogallala Aquifer. He points out the vulnerability of major agricultural regions in the U.S. and the potential global repercussions on food production and export.

Abram Lustgarten [25:50]: "The Colorado River's flow has decreased by 20% over the past couple of decades, and about 10% of that decrease is directly attributable to climate change."

10. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Lustgarten emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive climate policies and robust disaster response frameworks. He underscores that without significant investment and strategic planning, the United States faces escalating risks from increasingly severe climate-related disasters.

Abram Lustgarten [39:37]: "Thank you for giving so much consideration to these issues."

Notable Quotes

• Abram Lustgarten [02:28]: "It's particularly disturbing or heart-wrenching to read about so many children perishing in these disasters. It's certainly underscoring the intensification of the loss of human life as these disasters get more and more intense."

• Abram Lustgarten [07:21]: "We have a confluence of two very worrying trends. ... climate change ... is coinciding with a deliberate undermining of capability to address that other emergency."

• Abram Lustgarten [09:23]: "States like Texas depend on FEMA funding for upwards of 75% of their disaster response funding. ... you can't remove FEMA funding one year as disasters continue to mount annually, and expect those states to be able to protect and serve the people who live in them."

• Abram Lustgarten [13:54]: "There was not a cohesive warning system, especially along the Guadalupe River. ... there's an enormous amount of communication breakdown around the emergency unfolding in Texas."

• Abram Lustgarten [22:26]: "It means that the United States is not participating in any aspect of global efforts to address climate change. ... we're relegating the United States to the role of a bystander."

• Abram Lustgarten [25:50]: "The Colorado River's flow has decreased by 20% over the past couple of decades, and about 10% of that decrease is directly attributable to climate change."

Additional Insights

Abram Lustgarten provides a comprehensive analysis of how systemic policy failures, exacerbated by climate change, contribute to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters in the United States. His insights highlight the intricate balance between federal support structures like FEMA and the growing challenges posed by an unstable climate. Lustgarten's reporting underscores the urgent need for policy reform and increased investment in disaster preparedness and climate resilience to safeguard lives and communities.