As many parts of the country grapple with extreme heat, President Joe Biden said Thursday his administration will focus on states that fail to provide heat protection for workers and direct millions of dollars toward water projects and improved weather forecasting.
In a live address joined by the mayors of Phoenix and San Antonio via video, Biden said summer heat waves are affecting more than 100 million Americans. Record heat, wildfire smoke and other natural disasters make it undeniable that the climate is changing, Biden said, calling the climate crisis an “existential threat.”
“Even in places that are accustomed to extreme heat, it has never been as hot as it is now, for as long a period of time,” Biden said. “Even those who deny that we are in a climate crisis cannot deny the impact that extreme heat is having on Americans.”
This month the heatwave broke several records, both all over the world AND locally in places like Phoenix, which Wednesday saw its 27th consecutive day with temperatures of at least 110 degrees.
Scientists say no specific weather event can be linked to human-induced climate change, but the trend — which has been ongoing for the past eight years — is eight hottest years According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2023 is likely to be the warmest year on record — it is undoubtedly related to climate change.
Biden said he has asked acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to step up enforcement and inspections in industries such as agriculture and construction, where workers are outdoors and more vulnerable to heat-related problems.
Biden also directed the Department of Labor to issue a heat hazard alert explaining what protections workers have under federal law to protect themselves from exposure to high temperatures.
“We should protect workers from unsafe conditions and we will,” he said.
States that don’t offer their own heat protections for workers would see Biden “calling them out,” the president said. Some states don’t even require workers to be provided water breaks, which is “outrageous,” Biden said.
Federal dollars available
Biden listed federal funds that have been spent or are available to address heat-related issues.
The Department of Home Affairs will also be to spend $152 million from the 2021 infrastructure bill will go toward building water storage facilities and improving climate resilience in Colorado, Washington and California.
And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spend 7 million dollars from Democrats’ 2022 Climate, Tax, and Public Policy Act, which aims to improve weather forecasting.
Biden also outlined long-term actions he supports, including provisions in legislation he has championed that provide assistance to local governments.
$1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief and stimulus law that was passed early in his term, helped states and cities promote energy efficiency and open cooling centers, he said. A $1.2 trillion infrastructure law These included funding to modernize energy grids to make them more resilient, he said.
The administration is also offering direct aid to local governments, Biden said. The U.S. Forest Service has provided $1 billion in grants to local communities to plant trees, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development has spent billions to make buildings more energy effective, he said.
Biden repeated throughout the 20-minute event that the federal government had allocated heat relief funds to local governments and urged local leaders to contact the White House directly if they had trouble getting assistance.
Phoenix on the Climate Front
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told Biden she was grateful for the federal government’s aid, adding that the current heat wave was arduous for city residents to bear.
“Phoenix is known for its heat,” Gallego said. “We have constant heat in the summer, followed by months of lovely weather.
“But this summer is truly unprecedented… In Phoenix, it’s taking its toll on our community. We feel like we’re on the front lines of climate change.”
Congress should allow the president to declare a heat disaster, Gallego said. That could free up more aid from the federal government, including Federal Emergency Management Administration grant programs, she said.
