It’s Heat Time: Federal and State Governments Develop Coping Strategies

More than two-thirds of Americans were under a heat warning at some point last year, part of a growing trend as much of the United States experiences heat waves. hot, long, and many—and the hottest—days of the year. The problem is likely to get worse, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that there is a 55% chance that 2024 will be hotter than 2023—the hottest year since when world records begin in 1850.

A warming world is leading to more frequent and widespread health emergencies related to heat exposure, with unusually high rates of emergency department visits for heat-related illnesses in 2023- about 120,000 reported nationwide. Although heat affects everyone, research shows that it disproportionately affects vulnerable people, including communities of color, older and urban residents, and people who receive low incomes and homeless people. These impacts on human life are compounded by damage to critical infrastructure, such as paved roads and runways, and heat-induced power outages.

But the federal government and many state governments are taking action, and the summer of 2024 could mark a turning point in the battle to beat the heat.

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State action

In New Jersey, where the nine hottest summers since 1895 occurred between 2005 and 2023, the National Interagency Council on Climate Resilience released a draft Action Plan for Resilience to Extreme Heat April. Building on extensive community engagement through webinars, surveys, and an advisory group, the plan focuses on community and environmental strengths through coordinated government action, learning, and heat awareness. extreme, and invest in heat-adapted projects and processes.

“As extreme heat events become more frequent and intense, we will see the consequences for public health, our infrastructure, and our environment,” New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette said in a state news release. “The breadth of actions of the Climate Change Action Plan and the diversity of organizations involved in its development demonstrate that New Jersey is committed to meeting that challenge and building a stronger future for the community. everything.”

Meanwhile, in New York, the Department of Environmental Protection and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority developed an Extreme Heat Action Plan in collaboration with more than 20 state agencies and local governments. regions, organizations and stakeholders.

Moving south, North Carolina—where the Raleigh area saw its hottest summer on record in 2023—released the Heat Action Plan Toolkit, which provides guidance for local governments to plan for heat events. you are extreme. The plan includes actions to control the temperature in the long term through natural solutions such as green roofs and increased tree planting. The toolkit is the product of a collaborative effort between state, federal, academic and local agencies led by the North Carolina Division of Recovery and Experience and has been used to develop the Plan for Chatham County Hot Action.

“The Heat Action Plan Toolkit provides concrete steps for health care providers, local government, and community leaders to care for vulnerable residents as well as all North Carolina residents during extreme heat. ,” said North Carolina Chief Accountability Officer Amanda Martin.

To the west, Arizona released its Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan in March. This followed an executive order on extreme heat preparedness from Governor Katie Hobbs, who also appointed the state’s first climate official to work with officials across the state to increase heat resilience. .

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AFP via Getty Images

Federal resources

The Biden administration has recently taken additional steps to protect the public from extreme heat, providing planning and policy tools through its heat.gov website. These resources are intended to help vulnerable communities and help national and local governments access funding. The administration is also expected to release a federal heating plan later in 2024.

Other important federal actions include the following:

• The Department of Commerce and NOAA have announced $4.55 million in funding from the Cost Reduction Act for two centers of excellence in North Carolina and California to support public heat maintenance and construction activities.
• NOAA has announced a collaboration with the US departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development to map the hottest places in 14 cities this summer to identify heat islands of cities—information that can help inform future efforts to curb heat.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new Heat and Health Index, a national tool designed to identify areas that may have adverse health effects and heat and help communities prepare for a hot future.
• The National Weather Service and CDC developed the HeatRisk tool that provides a seven-day extreme heat forecast, giving the public and local officials early warning of extreme heat conditions.

A concerted effort across federal and state governments to raise awareness, develop policies, and invest in near- and long-term solutions to extreme temperatures represents an important step in community and environmental preparedness. for warm weather hazards. While these actions are encouraging, more work is needed to expand and replicate these efforts nationwide to ensure that the US is ready for the many days ahead in the coming years.

Kristane Huber works on climate resilience and the US conservation project of The Pew Charitable Trusts.