Vehicles sit submerged as a search and rescue worker looks through debris for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding on July 6, 2025 in Hunt, Texas.
While Congress Abandons Climate Safety, Cities and States Must Lead
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act may be putting profits ahead of people and the planet, but real climate leadership remains possible—and urgently needed—at the local level.
On July 4, as rescue teams searched for children swept away by flash floods in central Texas, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law—a legislative package that represents a catastrophic retreat from climate safety precisely when Americans need protection most.
The cruel irony was impossible to ignore: As the floodwaters rose in San Antonio, the federal government was rewarding fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis while pulling protection away from those in its path.
The OBBBA delivers a devastating one-two punch to American families. First, it guts the very programs designed to keep us safe from extreme weather. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster prevention funding faces a 40% cut. The National Weather Service—already dangerously understaffed—will see deeper cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that cost lives. Texas' recent floods tragically illustrated how staffing gaps in weather offices directly translate to preventable deaths.
Wildfire prevention efforts have already been halted by White House funding freezes ahead of peak fire season, and the OBBBA eliminates another $100 million in firefighting capacity. Meanwhile, toxic waste cleanups face defunding, exponentially increasing health risks for the 1 in 5 Americans living within three miles of contaminated sites.
By supercharging this growing insurability crisis, the act risks unleashing a climate-fueled version of the 2008 financial meltdown—but this time driven by underinsured climate risk, not subprime mortgages.
The social safety net that helps the most vulnerable disaster victims avoid permanent destitution is being shredded too. The act slashes federal assistance with energy bills by 34%, strips an estimated 6.2 million people of Medicaid, and denies over 3 million people food assistance—the largest Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cuts in program history.
Adding fuel to the fire, 350.org's analysis shows that oil, gas, and coal companies are set to receive over $200 billion in OBBBA handouts over the next decade. This includes bargain-basement royalty rates for extraction on public lands and the restoration of controversial tax loopholes. At the same time, OBBBA kneecaps renewable energy competition, forcing families to rely on expensive fossil fuels and pushing up annual utility bills by hundreds of dollars.
The math is simple: We need to halve fossil fuel emissions by 2030 to keep America livable. Instead, U.S. emissions will spike by 8-12%, making it less likely that other countries will agree to reduce their own oil and gas consumption, and driving more extreme weather.
Main Street and family farms will pay the price. Insurance companies rely on predictive weather data and disaster prevention programs that the OBBBA undermines. Premiums have already surged over 35% nationwide since 2020, with the steepest hikes in the places most exposed to extreme weather. State Farm and Allstate have withdrawn completely from fire- and flood-prone regions of California, Florida, and Louisiana.
By supercharging this growing insurability crisis, the act risks unleashing a climate-fueled version of the 2008 financial meltdown—but this time driven by underinsured climate risk, not subprime mortgages.
Fortunately, cities and states still hold powerful tools to fight back and build clean and safe futures for their residents.
- Vermont and New York have passed Climate Superfund Acts requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate damages. Honolulu, Baltimore, New York City, and dozens more are suing polluters to recover costs. Other states and cities should follow.
- Local leaders can reform utilities to prioritize affordability and clean energy, ban utility shutoffs during extreme weather, promote public or cooperative models, and remove barriers to community solar.
- Michigan's climate law, mandating 100% clean electricity by 2040, is already driving billions in private investment and creating jobs while lowering utility bills.
Steps like these will help to protect communities from the worst of the climate chaos that OBBBA unleashes. They can also build national momentum that political parties will not be able to ignore come 2026 and 2028.
The OBBBA prioritizes fossil fuel profits over public safety and future generations' survival. But this story isn't over. While Congress may be putting profits ahead of people and the planet, real climate leadership remains possible—and urgently needed—at the local level.
Cities and states must lead now. Our lives depend on it.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
On July 4, as rescue teams searched for children swept away by flash floods in central Texas, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law—a legislative package that represents a catastrophic retreat from climate safety precisely when Americans need protection most.
The cruel irony was impossible to ignore: As the floodwaters rose in San Antonio, the federal government was rewarding fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis while pulling protection away from those in its path.
The OBBBA delivers a devastating one-two punch to American families. First, it guts the very programs designed to keep us safe from extreme weather. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster prevention funding faces a 40% cut. The National Weather Service—already dangerously understaffed—will see deeper cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that cost lives. Texas' recent floods tragically illustrated how staffing gaps in weather offices directly translate to preventable deaths.
Wildfire prevention efforts have already been halted by White House funding freezes ahead of peak fire season, and the OBBBA eliminates another $100 million in firefighting capacity. Meanwhile, toxic waste cleanups face defunding, exponentially increasing health risks for the 1 in 5 Americans living within three miles of contaminated sites.
By supercharging this growing insurability crisis, the act risks unleashing a climate-fueled version of the 2008 financial meltdown—but this time driven by underinsured climate risk, not subprime mortgages.
The social safety net that helps the most vulnerable disaster victims avoid permanent destitution is being shredded too. The act slashes federal assistance with energy bills by 34%, strips an estimated 6.2 million people of Medicaid, and denies over 3 million people food assistance—the largest Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cuts in program history.
Adding fuel to the fire, 350.org's analysis shows that oil, gas, and coal companies are set to receive over $200 billion in OBBBA handouts over the next decade. This includes bargain-basement royalty rates for extraction on public lands and the restoration of controversial tax loopholes. At the same time, OBBBA kneecaps renewable energy competition, forcing families to rely on expensive fossil fuels and pushing up annual utility bills by hundreds of dollars.
The math is simple: We need to halve fossil fuel emissions by 2030 to keep America livable. Instead, U.S. emissions will spike by 8-12%, making it less likely that other countries will agree to reduce their own oil and gas consumption, and driving more extreme weather.
Main Street and family farms will pay the price. Insurance companies rely on predictive weather data and disaster prevention programs that the OBBBA undermines. Premiums have already surged over 35% nationwide since 2020, with the steepest hikes in the places most exposed to extreme weather. State Farm and Allstate have withdrawn completely from fire- and flood-prone regions of California, Florida, and Louisiana.
By supercharging this growing insurability crisis, the act risks unleashing a climate-fueled version of the 2008 financial meltdown—but this time driven by underinsured climate risk, not subprime mortgages.
Fortunately, cities and states still hold powerful tools to fight back and build clean and safe futures for their residents.
- Vermont and New York have passed Climate Superfund Acts requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate damages. Honolulu, Baltimore, New York City, and dozens more are suing polluters to recover costs. Other states and cities should follow.
- Local leaders can reform utilities to prioritize affordability and clean energy, ban utility shutoffs during extreme weather, promote public or cooperative models, and remove barriers to community solar.
- Michigan's climate law, mandating 100% clean electricity by 2040, is already driving billions in private investment and creating jobs while lowering utility bills.
Steps like these will help to protect communities from the worst of the climate chaos that OBBBA unleashes. They can also build national momentum that political parties will not be able to ignore come 2026 and 2028.
The OBBBA prioritizes fossil fuel profits over public safety and future generations' survival. But this story isn't over. While Congress may be putting profits ahead of people and the planet, real climate leadership remains possible—and urgently needed—at the local level.
Cities and states must lead now. Our lives depend on it.
On July 4, as rescue teams searched for children swept away by flash floods in central Texas, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law—a legislative package that represents a catastrophic retreat from climate safety precisely when Americans need protection most.
The cruel irony was impossible to ignore: As the floodwaters rose in San Antonio, the federal government was rewarding fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis while pulling protection away from those in its path.
The OBBBA delivers a devastating one-two punch to American families. First, it guts the very programs designed to keep us safe from extreme weather. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster prevention funding faces a 40% cut. The National Weather Service—already dangerously understaffed—will see deeper cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that cost lives. Texas' recent floods tragically illustrated how staffing gaps in weather offices directly translate to preventable deaths.
Wildfire prevention efforts have already been halted by White House funding freezes ahead of peak fire season, and the OBBBA eliminates another $100 million in firefighting capacity. Meanwhile, toxic waste cleanups face defunding, exponentially increasing health risks for the 1 in 5 Americans living within three miles of contaminated sites.
By supercharging this growing insurability crisis, the act risks unleashing a climate-fueled version of the 2008 financial meltdown—but this time driven by underinsured climate risk, not subprime mortgages.
The social safety net that helps the most vulnerable disaster victims avoid permanent destitution is being shredded too. The act slashes federal assistance with energy bills by 34%, strips an estimated 6.2 million people of Medicaid, and denies over 3 million people food assistance—the largest Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cuts in program history.
Adding fuel to the fire, 350.org's analysis shows that oil, gas, and coal companies are set to receive over $200 billion in OBBBA handouts over the next decade. This includes bargain-basement royalty rates for extraction on public lands and the restoration of controversial tax loopholes. At the same time, OBBBA kneecaps renewable energy competition, forcing families to rely on expensive fossil fuels and pushing up annual utility bills by hundreds of dollars.
The math is simple: We need to halve fossil fuel emissions by 2030 to keep America livable. Instead, U.S. emissions will spike by 8-12%, making it less likely that other countries will agree to reduce their own oil and gas consumption, and driving more extreme weather.
Main Street and family farms will pay the price. Insurance companies rely on predictive weather data and disaster prevention programs that the OBBBA undermines. Premiums have already surged over 35% nationwide since 2020, with the steepest hikes in the places most exposed to extreme weather. State Farm and Allstate have withdrawn completely from fire- and flood-prone regions of California, Florida, and Louisiana.
By supercharging this growing insurability crisis, the act risks unleashing a climate-fueled version of the 2008 financial meltdown—but this time driven by underinsured climate risk, not subprime mortgages.
Fortunately, cities and states still hold powerful tools to fight back and build clean and safe futures for their residents.
- Vermont and New York have passed Climate Superfund Acts requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate damages. Honolulu, Baltimore, New York City, and dozens more are suing polluters to recover costs. Other states and cities should follow.
- Local leaders can reform utilities to prioritize affordability and clean energy, ban utility shutoffs during extreme weather, promote public or cooperative models, and remove barriers to community solar.
- Michigan's climate law, mandating 100% clean electricity by 2040, is already driving billions in private investment and creating jobs while lowering utility bills.
Steps like these will help to protect communities from the worst of the climate chaos that OBBBA unleashes. They can also build national momentum that political parties will not be able to ignore come 2026 and 2028.
The OBBBA prioritizes fossil fuel profits over public safety and future generations' survival. But this story isn't over. While Congress may be putting profits ahead of people and the planet, real climate leadership remains possible—and urgently needed—at the local level.
Cities and states must lead now. Our lives depend on it.