Devastating power outages and destruction in Houston left by Hurricane Beryl again underscored the city’s inability to sufficiently fortify itself against extreme weather events worsened by climate change. This was the lowest level hurricane, a Category One, and yet it knocked out power to millions and left the nation’s fourth largest city reeling. Past horrific hurricanes, including Ike in 2008 and Harvey in 2017, made crystal clear that the city needed to bolster its infrastructure including expanding flood-plain protections, burying more power lines underground, and hardening its power grid. But those city, state and corporate efforts have repeatedly fallen short.
