Prepare For The Storm

This week’s big picture: A sweeping court decision clipped the White House’s tariff power, the administration escalated attacks on unions inside the federal workforce, offshore wind construction was frozen even as blue-collar crews and fishermen plead to keep working, and climate science once again tied catastrophic Texas floods to a warming world. Together, these stories show how policy choices ripple out to jobs, bills, and basic safety.

Fishermen to Trump: Let us work on Revolution Wind

The near-finished Revolution Wind project is paused by a federal stop-work order that’s sidelining hundreds of offshore workers and dozens of New England fishermen who’ve been earning steady pay supporting construction. Many of those fishermen voted for Trump and are now publicly asking him to reverse course. The project is 80 percent complete, sits in a designated federal wind area, and had multiple military sign-offs before the halt. The pause means lost middle-class paychecks today and higher power prices tomorrow if clean capacity is delayed.

“It’s madness to stop a project that already had permits.” Canary Media

Do something: If you’re in Rhode Island or Connecticut, call your governor’s office and utility commission to support immediate steps that keep permitted clean-energy projects moving. Show up for local port workforce meetings and make sure displaced crews get bridge income and placement on the next available job.

U.S. orders Ørsted to halt offshore wind construction

A separate stop-work order on Ørsted’s Revolution Wind deepens the industry’s financial strain. With foundations in and most turbines already standing, the freeze blocks a key clean-power source for roughly 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut and threatens skilled jobs across the supply chain. Officials cite vague national security concerns, while industry groups warn that halting nearly finished projects spooks investors and drives up costs for ratepayers.

“With construction now frozen at 80% completion, Ørsted has no immediate path to revenue generation.” Reuters

Do something: Contact your state reps about passing “finish-what-we-started” provisions that protect workers and the public when agencies pause projects late in construction. Ask your utility to publish contingency plans so customers are not left paying for preventable delays.

Executive order moves to sideline more federal unions

A new White House order expands “national security” exclusions that remove collective bargaining rights at multiple agencies, explicitly adding the National Weather Service and NOAA’s satellite service, among others. That shrinks workers’ ability to negotiate schedules, safety, and whistleblower protections inside critical public-safety agencies. It is part of a broader push to weaken unions across the federal workforce.

“The following subdivisions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service; National Weather Service.” The White House

Do something: If you rely on weather alerts where you live, tell your members of Congress you support statutory protections for NWS staff. Join or donate to groups backing federal workers’ rights and transparent emergency communications.

EPA fires employees who signed a public dissent letter

The Environmental Protection Agency confirmed it fired employees who joined a June “Declaration of Dissent” criticizing political interference and cuts. Around 140 EPA workers had already been placed on leave after the letter. Unions call the dismissals retaliatory, and legal experts warn this chills scientific integrity at the very agency charged with protecting public health.

“The EPA… fired some Environmental Protection Agency employees after they signed a letter critical of the Trump administration’s policies.” Reuters

Do something: Support whistleblower aid organizations and local clean-air and water watchdogs. Ask your city or county to formally request EPA transparency on staffing for air monitoring and toxic enforcement in your area.

Texas floods: the deadliest U.S. flash flood in nearly half a century

New analysis pulls the Texas Hill Country disaster into focus. The July 4 flash floods killed at least 138 people, part of a pattern where “deadliest in generations” events keep stacking up. Researchers point to a hotter, wetter atmosphere that turbocharges downpours, plus gaps in night-time warnings, floodplain planning, and camp safety. Policy matters here. So do budgets for NOAA and the National Weather Service.

“The terrible flash floods in Central Texas… killed at least 138 people.” Yale Climate Connections

Do something: Check your local flood maps and sign up for emergency alerts. Push city planners to update stormwater standards for a warmer climate and require night-time evacuation plans at camps and waterfront lodging.

Bonus economic watch: Court curbs the White House’s tariff power

A federal appeals court ruled that most of the administration’s sweeping global tariffs are illegal under the emergency powers law, though it left them in place while an appeal plays out. Trade policy made by one pen stroke hits groceries, appliances, and jobs. Expect a Supreme Court showdown that will shape who controls your household costs.

“It seems unlikely that Congress intended… to grant the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs.” Reuters

Do something: Call your representatives to demand transparent cost analyses for any tariff plan and to restore Congress’ lead role in trade so working families are not collateral damage.

Closing thought: The through-line here is power. Who gets to work and breathe clean air. Who keeps their union. Who pays when we delay clean energy and ignore flood risks. We keep showing up so everyday people, not corporations or insiders, hold the power.

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