S. 341 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 30, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryCommunities prepare for wildfire smoke and heat
This bill gives the EPA power to hand out money to local air quality agencies so they can help their communities get ready for wildfire smoke and extreme heat. It also sets up four research centers at colleges to study how smoke and heat affect people's health and what communities can do about it. The EPA would research better ways to predict smoke and heat, protect people from them, and talk to the public about the dangers.
How it affects you
If you live in an area affected by wildfire smoke or extreme heat, your community could receive funding to develop plans and programs that help you prepare and stay safe. The research centers and EPA studies could lead to better warning systems and health protections in your area, though the summary doesn't detail specific changes you'd notice right away.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 30, 2025)
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 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
• 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 AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 341
A BILL
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) · Introduced Jan 30, 2025 · Environmental Protection · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jan 30, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.”