Hit With Extreme Weather, Texas Cities Debate Cost of Adaptation
Experts say local governments should prioritize extreme weather preparedness. But building resilience is expensive.
Stay updated with breaking news from Michael Webber. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Experts say local governments should prioritize extreme weather preparedness. But building resilience is expensive.
Thousands of Texas citizens are waiting for their power to come back online after last week’s winter weather disruptions, with a major energy company warning that the wait could last until the end of this weekend.
Power grid outages following an ice storm in Austin, Texas, have left thousands of people without electricity for nearly a week and counting. Infrastructure repairs have been sluggish, prompting criticism of local government and an unreliable grid.
Democratic Austin Mayor Kirk Watson apologized to residents as they woke up to a third day of winter storm-induced power outages on Friday.
The city has experienced ice storms in the past, but this week's wrecked local power lines like never before. Austin's tree-trimming policy and climate change played a big role.