Kathy Castor says NOAA, federal cuts have left Florida vulnerable to hurricanes
Castor spoke at a press conference with St. Petersburg city officials Monday as the city discussed hurricane preparedness.
VIDEOS: Tampa battered by quarter-sized hail
'Chief Holloway, under Mayor Welch's leadership, and Amber Bolding, head of emergency preparedness, they are really very forward leaning,' Castor said. 'In what you heard from Amber is they have taken so much of what they've learned from the catastrophes of Debby, Helene and Milton, and they're pouring that into preparing, for that worst-case scenario.'
However, Castor was less optimistic about the federal government's ability to handle the 2025 hurricane season so far, blaming the 'chainsaw cuts' under President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
'We don't have the same number of meteorologists, hurricane hunter experts, folks on the job preparing for an active hurricane season,' the congresswoman said. 'Now, the National Hurricane Center says they will be able to deal with what comes, but it's a vulnerability moving forward.'
She also said FEMA is 'not entirely prepared' for potential hurricanes this year due to their cuts.
'It was days after the storm surge of Hurricane Helene, and I saw the FEMA contractors on the ground checking on our neighbors, making sure they had the emergency funds necessary to get them through that, that emergency response period,' Castor said. 'And I cannot say, based upon what I've heard over the past months and talking with, with experts, that they are going to be there.'
While she did say that Florida is still better equipped than any other state to handle natural disasters on the local level, the cuts to funds for local communities is going to hamper preparations and recovery.
'Right now, they have cut back on the building resilient infrastructure grants that local communities were relying on,' Castor said. 'They've cut back on the hazard mitigation grants. Those are the funds that help you rebuild seawalls, roads, water infrastructure, and they have announced over the past couple of weeks that that local communities will not get those same funds. So it's a time now for folks to be vigilant, to look out for their neighbors to take some extra added responsibility.'
NOAA has predicted an above-average hurricane season for 2025.
'We know we just hope and pray this is not the new normal, but what we know is that the Gulf waters are very hot,' Castor said. 'We know … that NOAA has is predicting an active hurricane season. The climate is heating their longer, hotter summers. Just last week, we said we set, all time records for, in Tampa.'
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