Sierra Club is reporting that Yale Climate Connections said July was the hottest month ever recorded in the U.S. It said The New York Times reported the West and Puerto Rico are experiencing a severe drought, with Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the nation's two largest reservoirs, reaching record low levels.
The organization expressed concern about the Trump administration's efforts to reduce funding for federal agencies crucial for disaster preparedness and response. Sierra Club said Sierra magazine reported a federal review panel recommended staff cuts at the Federal Emergency Response Management Agency, or FEMA. It said these cuts would increase the damage threshold for federal aid and transfer more responsibility to states.
It also noted the administration has repeatedly attempted to cut funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, and the National Weather Service, or NWS, which track and forecast severe weather and relay critical information to the public. The Sierra Club cited an Associated Press poll from July 2025 that found approximately 7 in 10 Americans believe the federal government should play a major role in extreme weather tracking and warnings.