Sponsors (24)
The bill directs new federal funding, grants, monitoring, and research to reduce harms from wildfire smoke and extreme heat—improving protections and preparedness for many communities while creating new recurring federal costs, funding uncertainty, and risks that under-resourced or rural areas may receive fewer near-term benefits.
Low-income households and community facilities (e.g., local governments, hospitals) receive funding and subgrants for air filtration, portable filters, protective gear, and weatherization to reduce smoke- and heat-related indoor exposures.
Communities gain improved monitoring, prediction, and outreach (earlier warnings and clearer air/heat information) so residents and local responders can take protective actions sooner.
States, Tribes, and localities receive grants, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources (including a stable federal funding stream) to plan and implement measures reducing wildland fire smoke and extreme heat impacts.
Taxpayers face recurring federal costs (tens of millions annually starting FY2026) to fund research centers and grant programs, which could crowd out other priorities or add to deficits if not offset.
Many program activities depend on future appropriations, creating funding uncertainty and the risk of intermittent or unpredictable support for community preparedness and implementation.
Rural, remote, and under-resourced communities may be left behind because competitive grants, requirements to partner with higher-education institutions, and allocation/prioritization rules tend to favor better-resourced jurisdictions or universities.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Establishes EPA grants, community planning grants, and university Centers of Excellence to help communities detect, prepare for, and mitigate wildfire smoke and extreme heat, with funding authorized beginning FY2026.
Official title: To amend the Clean Air Act to establish a grant program for supporting local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating about, or mitigating the environmental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 31, 2025 by Michael Thompson · Last progress January 31, 2025
Creates EPA grant programs and university-based centers to help communities detect, prepare for, communicate about, and reduce harms from wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The bill funds local planning grants, community technical assistance, monitoring and filtration equipment, protective supplies, and research centers to study health effects and community responses, with authorized funding beginning in FY2026 and several EPA actions required within 180 days of enactment.