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Politiparty

119th Congress Environmental Protection

S. 341: Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025

Introduced

  1. Introduced (completed)Jan 30, 2025
  2. Passed Senate (not reached)
  3. Passed House (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in Senate, Jan 30, 2025

This 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 to

Read the full summary
  • study 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; and
  • develop 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.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

8

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

6 points earned
  1. 1Jeff Merkley D-OR SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced2 events+6
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Jeff Merkley

History

  1. Jan 30, 2025Introduced in the Senate by Jeff Merkley.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
  1. Jan 30, 2025Introduced in Senate
  2. Jan 30, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.