METROPOLIS
Texas-Sized Disaster
Reckless agency layoffs and the dismantling of federal relief programs by DOGE could leave the Lone Star State in peril.
BY HENRY D. JACOBY
Donald Trump’s commitment to “energy dominance” would seem to be good news for the Texas economy, but in the administration’s reversal of environmental policies — including via the chaos of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) trashing federal agencies — it is easy to overlook changes that are of particular importance for the state.
Federal resources for managing climate-augmented weather disasters are being wiped out, and crucial information about future risks is being destroyed or degraded. Meanwhile, state leaders stand by while denying the seriousness of climate change as a driver of these events — and the threat this poses to the state economy.
It is not exactly breaking news that Texas is vulnerable to extreme weather, with recent hurricanes and wildfires fresh in mind, nor is the well-documented effect of a warming climate in magnifying severe weather. Just look to the growing count of billion-dollar natural disasters (severe storms, drought, flood, wildfires, severe cold). For example, from 2020 to 2024, Texas suffered 68 of these costly events, not counting the recent devastating flood in Kerrville, with Florida second at 34.
By upending the federal status quo around disaster relief, states like Texas could be left without a paddle. The largest federal program directed to the threat is disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), followed by companion assistance for damaged homes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and help for impacted businesses from the Small Business Administration. A breakout by state of aid from these federal agencies since 2017 shows that Texas and Florida, each receiving about $18 billion, account for almost a third of the 50-state total.
DOGE already cut roughly 20% of FEMA’s staff and moved to freeze its funds. And Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled his interest in shifting disaster relief responsibilities entirely to the states. On June 11, he made that threat more concrete by saying that his administration would start phasing out FEMA after this current hurricane season ends in November.
“We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down to the state level,” Trump said. “A governor should be able to handle it, and, frankly, if
they can’t handle it, the aftermath, then maybe they shouldn’t be governor.”
That, of course, would be bad news for Texas, where Republican leaders routinely play politics with disaster response and relief. Further warming in response to continuing greenhouse emissions ensures that the cost of climate change-augmented storms, floods, and wildfires will only increase with Texans prominent among the victims.
And an upending of disaster aid is far from the only threat Texas faces. For example, the state seeks, and often receives, federal support for investment in critical flood prevention projects. The more intense rainfall that comes with warming (warmer air holds more water) will pose a growing challenge for the management of Texas rivers, but the biggest potential expense is coastal protection. Adding to a history of death and destruction — seared into state memory by images of Galveston in 1900 and 2008 — sea levels will continue to rise along with ocean temperatures. That means hurricanes will be more intense and storm surges more devastating.
The state has developed some ambitious plans for its vulnerable coastline, the most prominent investment being the Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System, better known as the Ike Dike. It would be carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in coordination with the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD), which the state created in 2021 to implement coastal resilience projects. The price tag of that project is huge. In 2021, the corps estimated the cost at $34 billion, which would make it the agency’s most expensive project ever. But only two years later, that estimate had risen to $57 billion, and whenever the project is ultimately funded, the cost will surely be higher.
Who would pay for it? The project was authorized under the 2022 federal Water Resources Development Act, allowing initial implementation to begin. The next step was a 2024 agreement to begin project design work, with the feds picking up 65% of the tab and GCPD covering the remainder. That’s likely to be the cost-sharing arrangement for the actual construction of the project, should it be funded.
Appropriation of the federal portion would, however, take time. Even after design and
environmental review, the project would have to survive the federal budget process. Meanwhile, the corps is also being targeted by DOGE for cuts in staff and facilities and even to current projects, and the budget for civil works is a juicy target in efforts to further slash federal government spending.
Moreover, concern with the cuts is not just about money. The administration is trying to kill every program that pops up in a search for the word “climate.” In the process, the heart is being cut out of agencies that produce information that the state needs to manage its environmental threats. Consider just two examples: severe storm prediction and coastal surge.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the country’s central weather hub, provides the analysis undergirding forecasts of wildfires, severe storms, and heavy rain events, and its observation systems (high-altitude balloons, aircraft, satellites, ocean buoys) provide the data required to support this activity. When you watch TV weather or get a fire warning, it is largely a NOAA product.
Consistent with its aversion to talk of climate change, the administration’s policy guide, Project 2025, recommends dismantling NOAA. Those functions not eliminated would be scattered among other agencies, privatized, or sent to the states. This has not happened yet, but DOGE has fired many of NOAA’s scientists, and there are suggestions its Oklahoma Storm Prediction Center will be closed. Also, crucial data-gathering systems are at risk. Federal ability to warn the public is being degraded, and it is a public service no state can replace.
The second example of potential loss of important information concerns the science underlying the design of the proposed Galveston Bay protection. The assumed sea level rise and storm wave loadings are naturally based on corps guidance developed in the years leading up to completion of the 2021 study, but understanding of these coastal threats is not fixed. It is improving with ongoing research and analysis that take account of a changing climate.
The main uncertainty in sea level rise comes from the contribution of melting Antarctic glaciers, and there is hope that ongoing scientific work will clarify their behavior with continued warming. Similarly, the analysis of tropical storms — importantly, the
influence of rising ocean temperature and other factors on intensity and future tracks — is also the target of productive scientific work (also heavily in NOAA).
The state has an interest in ensuring that the design of all climate resilience projects is based on the latest science. It is a particularly important concern for a massive, long-term project like the Ike Dike and other components of the larger coastal protection proposal. The slashing of the scientific work, in NOAA and other agencies, raises the risk of building a project that proves inadequate to the changing conditions — or perhaps wastefully overbuilt.
Texas leaders can and should be expected to argue for maintenance (or resuscitation) of these federal efforts in disaster aid, assistance with flood protection, and provision of needed data and analysis. Unfortunately, though a potent justification for saving this activity is the increasing effects of climate change, Texas’ elected state leaders commonly resist naming it. They’ve repeatedly resisted enacting legislation that would require all state agencies to not just acknowledge but plan for climate change-fueled disasters and other risks. In fact, the only law enacted in the past 15 years that contains the phrase “climate change” is one passed in 2023 that prohibits cities from enacting their own climate mitigation protocols, per the Dallas Morning News.
No surprise here: To acknowledge climate change would mean validating policies to control greenhouse emissions. I got my first lesson in pressure years ago when my University of Texas roommate, editor of The Daily Texan, took the paper’s editorial position against a fossil interest of that day. The response rose from a summoning of the editor to the president’s office to a slap-down of the paper by the UT Board of Regents. Now the reticence is due not just to state interests but also to prospects of Donald Trump’s wrath.
So, we can expect that even those who fully understand the state’s risk from climate change will take the guidance of the governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and “dance a little sidestep” — seeking help with “severe weather” but not admitting why it is needed.
There is a cost to Texas life and property in this denial. The state becomes less effective in the coalition of states that will try to save this federal work, increasing the likelihood of failure to bring the needed resources and best intelligence to the state’s response to the damage that is coming. l
A version of this story originally appeared in The Texas Observer
Henry D. Jacoby is the William F. Pounds Professor of Management, emeritus, in the M.I.T. Sloan School of Management and founding co-director of the M.I.T. Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change.
This column reflects the opinions and fact-gathering of the author(s) and only the author(s) and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly. com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
The recent floods near Kerrville, like these in South Carolina (pictured), underline the importance of a healthy warning system and network.
Community Market, Kimbell Happy Hour, Bonnell at Taste, and More
Now that you’ve had your fill of burgers and dogs over the holiday weekend, it’s time for a change of cuisine. Broaden your horizons with these upcoming food and booze events.
Violinist Michael Evans wanted to create a cultural event at his church featuring lively and lighthearted classical music that everyone could enjoy. Mission accomplished. Evans and pianist Briahna Perkins present Beethoven & Barbecue at the Church of Jesus Christ LDS (3921 Turner Warnell Rd, Arlington, 817-483-5702) at 6pm. The duo will perform Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 30 No. 3 and Dvořák’s Sonatina Op. 100, with a barbecue dinner to follow. Smoked meats are provided. Guests are asked to bring a side dish or dessert. There is no cost to attend.
Marquez Bakery & Tortilla Factory (1730 E Division St, Arlington, 682-232-3944) hosts the Bites Food Festival from 4pm to 10pm. This monthly event features vendors selling food, drinks, and desserts, plus arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry, tea, and more. Each food vendor will display a Special Bites Menu showcasing three items priced at $5, $10, and $15. Tickets are free at PartyliciousEventsDFW.com.
It’s time for the monthly Fort Worth Community Market at the South Main MicroPark (105 S Main St, Fort Worth, @ HoneySuckleRoseEvents), which happens every
From 5pm to 7pm, the Kimbell Cafe — inside the Kimbell Art Museum (3333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817332-8451) — hosts its weekly happy hour with musicians from the Allegro Guitar Society. Beer, wine, and light snacks — including charcuterie boards, cheese plates, quiche, and salad — are available for purchase. Kimbell members receive a 10% discount. There is no cost to attend. Then, Chef Jon Bonnell (Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine, Buffalo Bros, Waters Restaurant) will cook a multicourse meal at Taste Community Restaurant (1200 S Main St, Fort Worth, 682-233-1255) from 6pm to 8pm as part of the Celebrity Chef Dinner and Fundraiser series. These events help ensure that everybody has the opportunity to eat during the pay-whatyou-can meal service this season, as Taste Project, the local nonprofit devoted to feeding the less fortunate, continues its mission. The event is sold out except for $2,500 tickets on Eventbrite.com.
Adults interested in learning about beekeeping are invited to attend the Honeybee Show & Tell at the Northwest branch of the Fort Worth Public Library (6228 Crystal Lake Dr, Fort Worth, 817-3925420) 3pm-4:30pm. Learn about honeybee biology and ecology with a professional beekeeper, followed by a tasting of three local honeys. The class is limited to 30 adults. There is no cost to attend. To register, email LIB_AdultServices@ FortWorthTexas.gov.
second Sunday of the month from 10am to 2pm. Along with the handmade and homegrown items from local artisans, you can expect to find a variety of bath and body products, flowers, health and wellness items, jewelry, pottery, and more. There is no cost to attend. Free street parking and paid parking are available in several lots. Carpooling is always recommended.
Looking for a midweek date night? CM Cooking School at Central Market (4651 W Fwy, Fort Worth, 817-989-4700) offers Couples Cook: Beef Wellington 6:30pm9pm. Together, you’ll create and enjoy the
signature main course, accompanied by smoked salmon on potato flatbread, an apple and celery salad with capers and tarragon, and pan-roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots, and potatoes. Dessert will be Berry Fool paired with a carefully selected wine. The event is 18+, and tickets are $110.13 per person on Eventbrite.com.
The Salvation Army of North Texas is hosting its annual Christmas in July Breakfast at the Fort Worth office (229 E Felix St, Fort Worth 817-33-4837) 9am10:30am in preparation for the 2025 holiday season. This free event includes breakfast, door prizes, Christmas caroling, and an opportunity to learn about becoming a volunteer.
By Elaine Wilder
Beethoven & Barbecue is free to attend this Saturday in Arlington. Bring a side!
LIVING LOCAL
Getting Mental Health Care Just Got Easier in Fort Worth
By Shan Zee
For decades, navigating mental health care in Texas—especially in a fast-growing city like Fort Worth—has come with more roadblocks than clear pathways. But change is happening. If you’re living in Fort Worth or the surrounding area and wondering about the options for getting real support, this guide breaks it down. From updated laws to the quiet benefits of seeing a psychiatrist, here’s what you actually need to know.
Things Have Changed
Not that long ago, getting help for mental illness in Texas often meant running into long waitlists, overburdened public programs, and few affordable options. But in recent years, that tide has started to shift. Fort Worth, like much of the state, has begun to recognize that mental health isn’t a side issue—it’s part of public health and public safety. Mental health services are expanding through state-backed programs, regional partnerships, and more integrated care networks. This means more mental health professionals are being trained and placed in hospitals, schools, and even first responder teams. Fort Worth has been part of a broader effort to address gaps by expanding early intervention
programs and integrating mental health care with overall healthcare access.
The Right Psychiatrist Can Help
Let’s be honest—there’s still a lot of confusion about what psychiatrists do, and some folks hesitate to reach out because they worry it’ll mean a lifetime of medication or losing control over their treatment. But that idea is outdated. Working with a psychiatrist like those at PsychiatryMD (1701 River Run, Ste 118, Fort Worth, 469-962-1967) can be one of the most empowering steps toward long-term mental stability and support. A psychiatrist brings something unique to the table: they’re trained to assess both the medical and emotional sides of mental health. This means they can diagnose underlying conditions that might be affecting your mood, behavior, or concentration—things
like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or ADHD. And because they’re licensed to prescribe medications, they can offer treatment plans that combine therapy and, when needed, medication support. What’s especially valuable is that you don’t have to commit to anything on day one. The right psychiatrist here in Fort Worth will start by listening. They’ll help you make sense of what you’re going through and explore options, whether that means medication, therapy, or lifestyle changes.
Therapy Isn’t Just for a Crisis Therapy is also for Maintenance, Growth, and Connection. There’s a lingering myth that therapy is only for people on the edge of a breakdown. In reality, therapy in the Fort Worth area is becoming more normalized, and more people are turning to coun-
selors and licensed therapists not because they’re falling apart, but because they want to feel more in control, more at peace, or more connected in their daily lives. Therapists can help with specific issues like panic attacks, grief, or trauma. However, they’re also trained to work with broader goals, including improving relationships, setting boundaries, understanding past patterns, and building emotional resilience. Think of it like seeing a personal trainer—not because you’re weak, but because you want to build strength.
Mental Health at Work
More employers are recognizing that supporting mental health isn’t just a nice gesture—it’s good business. Burnout, stress, and anxiety have real impacts on productivity and employee retention, and smart companies are responding with benefits that actually help. This shift means more local businesses are offering mental health days, employee assistance programs (EAPs), and extended counseling options as part of their health plans. Some are even hosting workshops on stress management, communication, or emotional intelligence. If you’re working in Fort Worth and wondering what’s available to you, take a second look at your company’s HR benefits. You might already have access to short-term therapy or crisis counseling you didn’t even know about.
Know Before You Go
What you should know before you get started—and why it’s okay if the first step is small: Getting help for your mental health isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. It often takes a few tries to find the right provider or treatment style. That’s not a failure—that’s the nature of real care. So if you’re in Fort Worth and thinking about reaching out, start small. Maybe that means booking an initial consultation. Maybe it’s asking your primary doctor for a referral. Maybe it’s talking to a trusted friend about what you’ve been dealing with. Every action, even a small one, moves you closer to feeling like yourself again.
CLASSIFIEDS
CLASSIFIEDS
WEEKLY LISTINGS
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19)
Don’t underestimate the value of your steady, luminous signal. For some travelers, your presence could be the difference between drifting and docking
TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20)
Seek cross-fertilization in the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to weave richly diverse cultural textures into your life.
GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20)
Geminis of all genders, invoke your tender ingenuity as you strengthen female opportunities and power.
CANCERIAN (Jun 21-Jul 22)
You have the power to speak what you mean so robustly that it has an enhanced possibility to come into being. What you command with love and clarity will carry enduring potency.
LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22)
Cleanse yourself of irrelevancies and rededicate yourself to your deepest yearnings and most authentic self-expressions.
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22)
Remember the impermanence of all things—an appreciation for beauty but not an attachment to it. Is there anything you love that you should let go of?
LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22)
Not unlike glassblowers, recognize which parts of your life are now just the right temperature to be reshaped. Your timing must be impeccable.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21)
Your imagination is even more cornucopian than usual. To harness its beautiful but unruly power, you must channel it into noble goals.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21)
In the coming weeks, you should look for healing close to home. What unnoticed or underestimated thing might be a cure or inspiration you’ve been overlooking? How can you find new uses for what you already have?
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19)
Be an expert at taking excellent care of yourself. Do you dare to imagine what it might feel like to be your own best helper?
AQUARIUS (Jan 20- Feb 18)
The inevitability of change can and should be a treasured gift for you. You’re being offered chances to revise plans that do indeed need to be revised.
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20)
The axolotl retains its youthful traits into adulthood and can regenerate many parts of itself. Let’s make this creature your inspirational animal, Pisces. What part of your “youth” is worth keeping—not as immaturity, but as righteous design? Be ageless and original and irrepressible.
EXPANDED HOROSCOPES
For unabridged versions of the horoscopes above by Rob Brezsny, go to FreeWillAstrology. com.
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PHYSICAL MEDIA ROCKS!
Looking for Cassettes, CDs, DVDs & Vinyl? Come dig around, we have TONS! The Published Page Bookstop (10 E Chambers St, Cleburne, 817-349-6366) is open 10am-6pm Wed-Sat and 1pm-6pm Sun. An authentic “Old School” bookstore on the courthouse square of Historic Downtown Cleburne, TX, just 20 minutes south of FW, it’s a true Texas treasure. For more info, visit PublishedPage.com or find us on Facebook (@ BiblioTreasures).
POTTER’S HOUSE
Join the Potter’s House of Fort Worth (1270 Woodhaven Blvd, 817-446-1999) for Sunday Service at 8am and Wednesday Bible Study at 7pm. For more info, visit us online at www.TPHFW.org.
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