Energy & Environment Newsletter FEMA OKs billions in disaster assistance by Rachel Frazin - 02/27/26 6:46 PM ET by Rachel Frazin - 02/27/26 6:46 PM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email 96 {beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story   FEMA OKs billions in disaster assistance The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in disaster aid that was previously awaiting approval from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. © Valerie Plesch, Bloomberg via Getty Images A source familiar with the situation told The Hill that billions in combined public assistance and hazard mitigation funds are being awarded from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and that the funds were previously held up under Noem’s policy of personally reviewing major expenditures.   FEMA’s public assistance funds  help communities recover from disasters , while its hazard mitigation funds  help communities better prepare for future disasters .   The source said that more than $10 billion in public assistance funds are still awaiting approval.    The source also said that Minnesota, Illinois, California, Colorado and the Virgin Islands are the only U.S. states and territories that would not receive public assistance awards in the tranche of funding.   Spokespeople for FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.   However, a FEMA spokesperson  confirmed to CNN , which first reported that some of the funds would be released, that it was doling out more than $5 billion.   “This week, FEMA released over $5 billion in recovery funding for projects, some dating back as far as 15 years — a significant win for states, local governments, and hospitals,” the spokesperson said. “To be clear, this is about results, not politics.”   “Regarding which projects are being funded, FEMA is prioritizing based on project readiness and strict oversight. Obligations are made when projects meet all necessary criteria. Decisions are not based on political considerations; the process is focused on merit and accountability,” they told CNN.   The DHS is requiring that all expenditures of more than $100,000 — including but not limited to FEMA funds — get Noem’s personal approval before their release.   Read more at TheHill.com .   Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin  — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads   How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:   RFK Jr. tells Joe Rogan he was not ‘particularly happy’ with Trump’s glyphosate order Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in an interview that aired Friday that President Trump’s order bolstering the controversial herbicide glyphosate was “not something that I was particularly happy with.”  Full Story   US moves to legally control tanker and 2M barrels of oil seized off Venezuela’s coast in December The Justice Department has filed a complaint to legally take ownership of a sanctioned tanker and nearly 2 million barrels of petroleum seized off the coast of Venezuela in December, another step by President Donald Trump’s administration to assert power over the country’s oil sector after capturing leader Nicolás Maduro.  Full Story   What We’re Reading  News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics : Birds Aren’t Just Declining. They’re Declining Faster, a New Study Finds. ( The New York Times ) Solar power’s newest friends: MAGA influencers ( Politico )     On Our Radar  Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching: Wednesday The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on draft legislation related to the Toxic Substances Control Act The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing where the Pentagon’s energy and environmental leaders are slated to testify The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on pipeline safety legislation       What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Hegseth cancels troop attendance at top-ranked schools Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the cancellation of members of the military attending some of the country’s top-ranked colleges and universities on Friday, beginning a