As the U.S. South reels from a scourge of deadly tornadoes and braces for hurricane season, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says it is shifting recovery responsibility to the states.
During a staff town hall on Thursday, May 15, acting chief David Richardson said he will “return primacy to the states” in accordance with the Trump administration’s plan to shift the agency’s mission, Associated Press (AP) reports. This means states impacted by natural disasters will only receive federal assistance “when deemed necessary,” Richardson said.
The move could drastically shrink the amount of aid states can get from FEMA. Richardson warned that traditional FEMA cost-sharing, which covers 75% of disaster recovery expenses, could change by this summer, according to AP.
Jeremy Edwards, FEMA deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration, told AP that while states typically lead disaster response, they rely on federal resources as needed, and not every state will be able to take on more responsibility.
“It’s unclear what they mean when they say returning primacy to the states,” he said. “What does that mean when certain states don’t have the resources in their own budgets to respond to and recover from catastrophic events?”
The agency’s announcement came just one day before severe storms whipped up multiple tornadoes across parts of the south-central U.S. last week. Now, residents of hard-hit Kentucky and Missouri are sifting through rubble, CBS News reports.
Hundreds of homes were damaged and at least 27 people died. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather puts the total cost of damages between $9 billion and $11 billion, according to an emailed statement.
These states aren’t out of the woods just yet. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms will remain for parts of the Midwest and Southeast until tonight. More tornadoes could form in some areas, in addition to damaging hail and winds.
This multi-day severe weather event marks an active start to the 2025 disaster season, which will really get underway when the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins in about two weeks.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plans to release its hurricane season outlook on Thursday. But experts have already predicted 17 named storms and nine hurricanes for this year, four of which could be major (Category 3 or above).
For comparison, 2024 saw above-average storm activity in the Atlantic basin, with 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes, according to NOAA. Five hurricanes made landfall in the continental U.S., and two hit as major hurricanes.
FEMA’s policy change will put increased financial strain on states as they face what will likely be another active storm season. When asked how the change will impact federal relief for states hit by recent tornadoes, an agency spokesperson told Gizmodo that “all operational and readiness requirements will continue to be managed without interruption in close coordination with local and state officials.”
“Unlike the previous administration’s unprepared, disgraceful and inadequate response to natural disasters like Hurricane Helene, the Trump administration is committed to ensuring Americans affected by emergencies will get the help they need in a quick and efficient manner,” the agency said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a Saturday evening statement that she spoke with the governors of Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois “to offer federal resources and action for the deadly tornadoes and storms impacting” those states.
Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth co-chair a FEMA review council that was established by President Donald Trump to recommend changes to the agency.
FEMA has lost about 2,000 full-time employees since Trump took office in January, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). During Thursday’s staff town hall, Richardson said additional staff cuts could come to fruition as more of the agency’s functions are offloaded onto states, the AP reports.
Such sweeping changes raise concerns about the agency’s preparedness for fast-approaching Atlantic hurricane season. And yet, earlier this month, Reuters reported that Richardson told staff he would “run right over” anyone who stood in the way of his reforms.
“Don’t get in my way… I know all the tricks,” he said.
