Bill > HR903

This bill, called the "Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025," establishes a comprehensive program to help local communities address the environmental and public health challenges posed by wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator to create multiple grant programs and research initiatives. Specifically, the bill creates grants for air pollution control agencies to support local efforts in monitoring air quality, conducting community outreach, deploying air quality monitoring equipment, equipping public buildings with air filtration systems, and distributing protective gear like masks and air filtration devices. The bill also mandates the establishment of four "Centers of Excellence for Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat" at higher education institutions to conduct research on the public health impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat, with a focus on developing intervention strategies and improving monitoring tools. Additionally, the bill creates a competitive grant program to help states, local governments, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations develop collaborative community plans for mitigating smoke and extreme heat impacts. The grant programs are funded with significant appropriations: $10 million for research centers, $20 million for additional research, and $50 million for community planning, all starting in fiscal year 2026. The bill aims to help communities better detect, prepare for, communicate about, and mitigate the environmental and health risks associated with wildfire smoke and extreme heat events.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/903/all-info