I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 903 
To amend the Clean Air Act to establish a grant program for supporting 
local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating about, or 
mitigating the environmental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke 
and extreme heat, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 31, 2025 
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Ms. ANSARI, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. 
BROWNLEY, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. GARCIA of California, Ms. MATSUI, 
Mr. MULLIN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. RUIZ, Mr. 
WHITESIDES, and Ms. TITUS) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Clean Air Act to establish a grant program 
for supporting local communities in detecting, preparing 
for, communicating about, or mitigating the environ-
mental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke and 
extreme heat, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Smoke and Heat 
Ready Communities Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency. 
(2) EXTREME
HEAT.—The term ‘‘extreme 
heat’’ has the meaning given the term through a 
rulemaking of the Administrator, in consultation 
with the heads of relevant Federal agencies. 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(4) NATIVE
HAWAIIAN
ORGANIZATION.—The 
term ‘‘Native Hawaiian organization’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 6207 of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7517). 
SEC. 3. SMOKE AND EXTREME HEAT-READY COMMUNITIES. 
Part A of title I of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘SEC. 139. SMOKE AND EXTREME HEAT-READY COMMU-
NITIES. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF EXTREME HEAT.—The term 
‘extreme heat’ has the meaning given the term in section 
2 of the Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 
2025. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Administrator may make grants under 
this section to air pollution control agencies to support air 
pollution control agencies in developing and implementing 
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. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out a pro-
gram described in subsection (b), an air pollution control 
agency may use funds from a grant received under this 
section for— 
‘‘(1) activities related to the monitoring of, the 
interpretation of, and communicating with the public 
about past, present, and future data related to ambi-
ent air quality conditions that are caused by wildfire 
smoke and extreme heat; 
‘‘(2) conducting community outreach in areas 
that may be prone to poor air quality that is attrib-
utable to elevated levels of particulate matter, ozone, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
and other harmful components of wildfire smoke and 
extreme heat; 
‘‘(3) the deployment of air quality monitoring 
equipment in a manner that is sufficient to evaluate 
an increased prevalence of poor air quality that is 
attributable to elevated levels of particulate matter, 
ozone, and other harmful components of wildfire 
smoke and extreme heat; 
‘‘(4) equipping public buildings with air filtra-
tion systems that are capable of removing particu-
late matter and other harmful components of wild-
fire smoke and extreme heat from the air so that the 
public buildings may serve as cleaner air spaces dur-
ing wildfire smoke events and extreme heat events 
and other poor air quality events; 
‘‘(5) the purchase, storage, and distribution of 
face masks and personal protective equipment, in-
cluding N–95 filtering facepiece respirators, portable 
air filtration systems, and other masks and equip-
ment that are capable of removing or otherwise pre-
venting the inhalation of particulate matter, ozone, 
and other harmful components of wildfire smoke and 
extreme heat from the air; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘(6) subgrants or providing other financing to 
private or other public entities with demonstrated fi-
nancial need— 
‘‘(A) to acquire protective gear; or 
‘‘(B) to carry out weatherization measures 
to mitigate air infiltration; and 
‘‘(7) such other activities that the Adminis-
trator determines to be necessary to carry out the 
purposes of this section. 
‘‘(d) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Administrator shall establish a formula to dis-
tribute grants under this section among air pollution 
control agencies. 
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In establishing the 
formula required under paragraph (1), the Adminis-
trator shall consider— 
‘‘(A) the vulnerability of communities with-
in a State to wildfire smoke and extreme heat; 
and 
‘‘(B) the degree to which a State is prone 
to poor air quality that is attributable to ele-
vated levels of particulate matter from wildfire 
smoke and extreme heat. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out this section.’’. 
SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON WILDFIRE SMOKE AND EXTREME 
HEAT. 
(a) CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall establish at institutions of higher edu-
cation (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) 4 cen-
ters, each of which shall be known as a ‘‘Center of 
Excellence for Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat’’, 
to carry out research relating to— 
(A) the effects on public health, including 
the health of outdoor workers, of— 
(i) smoke emissions from wildland 
fires; and 
(ii) extreme heat; and 
(B) means by which communities can bet-
ter respond to the impacts of— 
(i) emissions from wildland fires; and 
(ii) extreme heat events. 
(2) PRIORITY.—In selecting institutions of 
higher education (as so defined) at which to estab-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
lish a center under paragraph (1), the Administrator 
shall give priority to institutions of higher education 
(as so defined) that— 
(A) have established expertise with respect 
to air quality or dedicated centers of air quality 
research; 
(B) have experience with relevant outreach 
and extension work; 
(C) have established relationships with rel-
evant Federal, State, and local agencies, com-
munity organizations, Native Hawaiian organi-
zations, and Indian Tribes; and 
(D) are located in an area that is economi-
cally or environmentally impacted by wildfire 
smoke or extreme heat. 
(3) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 
for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
(b) RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall begin to carry out research— 
(A) to study the health effects of— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(i) smoke emissions from wildland 
fires; and 
(ii) extreme heat; 
(B) to develop and disseminate personal 
and community-based interventions to reduce 
exposure to and adverse health effects of— 
(i) smoke emissions from wildland 
fires; and 
(ii) extreme heat; 
(C) to increase the quality of smoke and 
extreme heat monitoring and prediction tools 
and techniques; and 
(D) to develop implementation and com-
munication strategies. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator to carry out this subsection $20,000,000 
for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
SEC. 5. COMMUNITY SMOKE AND EXTREME HEAT PLAN-
NING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall es-
tablish a competitive grant program to assist eligible enti-
ties described in subsection (b) in developing and imple-
menting collaborative community plans for mitigating the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires and ex-
treme heat. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity that is eligible 
to submit an application for a grant under subsection (a) 
is— 
(1) a State; 
(2) a unit of local government (including any 
special district, such as an air quality management 
district or a school district); 
(3) an Indian Tribe; or 
(4) a Native Hawaiian organization. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a), an eligible entity described in sub-
section (b) shall submit to the Administrator an applica-
tion at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Administrator may require, which shall 
include a plan to collaborate with a public institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) or other 
research institution that— 
(1) has established expertise with respect to air 
quality or dedicated centers of air quality research; 
(2) has experience with relevant outreach and 
extension work; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(3) has established relationships with relevant 
Federal, State, and local agencies, community orga-
nizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and In-
dian Tribes; and 
(4) is located in an area that is economically or 
environmentally impacted by wildfire smoke or ex-
treme heat. 
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator 
may use amounts made available to carry out this section 
to provide to eligible entities described in subsection (b) 
technical assistance in— 
(1) submitting grant applications under sub-
section (c); or 
(2) carrying out projects using a grant under 
this section. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to 
carry out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 
and each fiscal year thereafter. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:10 Feb 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H903.IH
H903
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS