U.S. senators from Arizona and Nevada have introduced legislation declaring extreme heat a major disaster.
The Extreme Heat Emergency Act from Sens. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, would “explicitly authorize extreme heat as eligible for a Major Disaster Declaration” by the president of the United States under the Stafford Act, a 1980s law relating to weather events.
In a press release, Gallego said “extreme heat kills more Americans” annually than every other form of extreme weather combined.
“But still, the federal government sits on the sidelines, leaving state and local governments to drain their funds trying to keep people safe,” said Gallego.
His Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act would fund community solutions to so-called urban heat islands, while the Extreme Heat Economic Study Act calls for research on the impact that extreme heat has on health, infrastructure, and the economy. Gallego's LIHEAP Parity Act promises states such as Arizona would get their "fair share of federal energy assistance."
