If enacted, the bill will enable air pollution control agencies to develop and implement programs aimed at dealing with the effects of smoke and extreme heat. It includes provisions for grants to assist these agencies in activities such as monitoring air quality, conducting community outreach, and equipping public buildings with air filtration systems. The bill allocates significant funding, including $10 million for community support and $20 million for research into health impacts and monitoring technologies, emphasizing its commitment to public health and environmental safety.
Summary
House Bill 4733, the 'Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2023', seeks to amend the Clean Air Act by establishing a grant program to support local communities in managing the environmental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. This initiative aims to enhance capabilities for detecting, preparing for, communicating about, and mitigating these issues, thereby promoting community resilience against worsening climate-related challenges.
Contention
Discussions surrounding HB 4733 may arise regarding the allocation of resources and the efficacy of the proposed measures. Supporters argue that by facilitating research and empowering local agencies, the bill would cumulatively build stronger frameworks for health and safety related to air quality issues. Conversely, critics might raise concerns about the federal oversight involved and challenge whether sufficient funding will be consistently available for these initiatives, along with the bill's overall approach to handling the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025This 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 tostudy 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; anddevelop 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.
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025This 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 tostudy 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; anddevelop 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.
Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority for the Boots to Business Program, which provides entrepreneurship training to individuals including veterans and active members of the Armed Forces, to be administered by the Small Business Administration.