Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025 - Summary ## What It Would Do This bill would fund programs to help communities prepare for and respond to wildfire smoke and extreme heat events. It would give the EPA authority to distribute grants to local air pollution control agencies to help them detect these hazards, alert the public, and reduce health impacts. The bill would also establish four university-based research centers focused on studying how wildfire smoke and extreme heat affect public health, and require the EPA to conduct research on protective measures people can take during these events. ## Who It Affects The bill would primarily benefit local and regional air quality agencies, communities in areas prone to wildfires and extreme heat (particularly in the West), residents in those areas, and academic institutions conducting environmental health research.
It could indirectly benefit the general public by improving early warning systems and community preparedness for climate-related health emergencies. ## Current Status The bill was introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. No companion bill has been introduced in the House.
CRS Official Summary
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025This bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to air pollution control agencies to support the development and implementation of programs that support local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating with the public about, or mitigating the environmental and public health aspects of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The EPA must establish a formula to distribute the grants among air pollution control agencies.The bill requires the EPA to establish four Centers of Excellence for Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat at institutions of higher education to research (1) the effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat on public health, and (2) the means by which communities can better respond to impacts from such conditions.Additionally, the EPA must begin to carry out research tostudy the health effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat;develop and disseminate personal and community-based interventions to reduce exposure to, and health effects of, wildland fire smoke emissions and extreme heat;increase the quality of smoke and extreme heat monitoring and prediction tools and techniques; anddevelop implementation and communication strategies.The EPA must also establish a competitive grant program to assist certain entities (e.g., a state) in developing and implementing collaborative community plans for mitigating the impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.