,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cda ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #cj1 #bjbe,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 and ,mr4 ,bennet7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,clean ,air ,act to establish a grant program for supporting local communities in detecting1 preparing for1 communicating about1 or mitigating the environmental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,smoke and ,heat ,ready ,communities ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,extreme heat ,the term extreme heat has the meaning given the term through a rulemaking of the ,administrator1 in consultation with the heads of relevant ,federal agencies4 7#c7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#d7 ,native ,hawaiian organization ,the term ,native ,hawaiian organization has the meaning given the term in section #fbjg of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #geag74 #c4 ,smoke and extreme heat-ready communities ,part ,a of title ,i of the ,clean ,air ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #gdja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #aci4 ,smoke and extreme heat-ready communities 7a7 ,definition of extreme heat ,the term extreme heat has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,smoke and ,heat ,ready ,communities ,act of #bjbe4 7b7 ,establishment ,subject to the availability of appropriations1 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 detecting1 preparing for1 communicating with the public about1 or mitigating the environmental and public health aspects of wildfire smoke and extreme heat4 7c7 ,eligible activities ,in carrying out a program described in subsection 7b71 an air pollution control agency may use funds from a grant received under this section for-- 7#a7 activities related to the monitoring of1 the interpretation of1 and communicating with the public about past1 present1 and future data related to ambient air quality conditions that are caused by wildfire smoke and extreme heat2 7#b7 conducting community outreach in areas that may be prone to poor air quality that is attributable to elevated levels of particulate matter1 ozone1 and other harmful components of wildfire smoke and extreme heat2 7#c7 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 matter1 ozone1 and other harmful components of wildfire smoke and extreme heat2 7#d7 equipping public buildings with air filtration systems that are capable of removing particulate matter and other harmful components of wildfire smoke and extreme heat from the air so that the public buildings may serve as cleaner air spaces during wildfire smoke events and extreme heat events and other poor air quality events2 7#e7 the purchase1 storage1 and distribution of face masks and personal protective equipment1 including ,n-#ie filtering facepiece respirators1 portable air filtration systems1 and other masks and equipment that are capable of removing or otherwise preventing the inhalation of particulate matter1 ozone1 and other harmful components of wildfire smoke and extreme heat from the air2 7#f7 subgrants or providing other financing to private or other public entities with demonstrated financial need-- 7,a7 to acquire protective gear2 or 7,b7 to carry out weatherization measures to mitigate air infiltration2 and 7#g7 such other activities that the ,administrator determines to be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section4 7d7 ,allocation of funds 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 the ,administrator shall establish a formula to distribute grants under this section among air pollution control agencies4 7#b7 ,considerations ,in establishing the formula required under paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator shall consider-- 7,a7 the vulnerability of communities within a ,state to wildfire smoke and extreme heat2 and 7,b7 the degree to which a ,state is prone to poor air quality that is attributable to elevated levels of particulate matter from wildfire smoke and extreme heat4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section4 4 #d4 ,research on wildfire smoke and extreme heat 7a7 ,centers of excellence 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish at institutions of higher education 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a777 #d centers1 each of which shall be known as a ,center of ,excellence for ,wildfire ,smoke and ,extreme ,heat1 to carry out research relating to-- 7,a7 the effects on public health1 including the health of outdoor workers1 of-- 7i7 smoke emissions from wildland fires2 and 7ii7 extreme heat2 and 7,b7 means by which communities can better respond to the impacts of-- 7i7 emissions from wildland fires2 and 7ii7 extreme heat events4 7#b7 ,priority ,in selecting institutions of higher education 7as so defined7 at which to establish a center under paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator shall give priority to institutions of higher education 7as so defined7 that-- 7,a7 have established expertise with respect to air quality or dedicated centers of air quality research2 7,b7 have experience with relevant outreach and extension work2 7,c7 have established relationships with relevant ,federal1 ,state1 and local agencies1 community organizations1 ,native ,hawaiian organizations1 and ,indian ,tribes2 and 7,d7 are located in an area that is economically or environmentally impacted by wildfire smoke or extreme heat4 7#c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator to carry out this subsection #aj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbf and each fiscal year thereafter4 7b7 ,research 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall begin to carry out research-- 7,a7 to study the health effects of-- 7i7 smoke emissions from wildland fires2 and 7ii7 extreme heat2 7,b7 to develop and disseminate personal and community-based interventions to reduce exposure to and adverse health effects of-- 7i7 smoke emissions from wildland fires2 and 7ii7 extreme heat2 7,c7 to increase the quality of smoke and extreme heat monitoring and prediction tools and techniques2 and 7,d7 to develop implementation and communication strategies4 7#b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator to carry out this subsection #bj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbf and each fiscal year thereafter4 #e4 ,community smoke and extreme heat planning 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish a competitive grant program to assist eligible entities described in subsection 7b7 in developing and implementing collaborative community plans for mitigating the impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat4 7b7 ,eligible entities ,an entity that is eligible to submit an application for a grant under subsection 7a7 is-- 7#a7 a ,state2 7#b7 a unit of local government 7including any special district1 such as an air quality management district or a school district72 7#c7 an ,indian ,tribe2 or 7#d7 a ,native ,hawaiian organization4 7c7 ,applications ,to be eligible to receive a grant under subsection 7a71 an eligible entity described in subsection 7b7 shall submit to the ,administrator an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administrator may require1 which shall include a plan to collaborate with a public institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a777 or other research institution that-- 7#a7 has established expertise with respect to air quality or dedicated centers of air quality research2 7#b7 has experience with relevant outreach and extension work2 7#c7 has established relationships with relevant ,federal1 ,state1 and local agencies1 community organizations1 ,native ,hawaiian organizations1 and ,indian ,tribes2 and 7#d7 is located in an area that is economically or environmentally impacted by wildfire smoke or extreme heat4 7d7 ,technical assistance ,the ,administrator may use amounts made available to carry out this section to provide to eligible entities described in subsection 7b7 technical assistance in-- 7#a7 submitting grant applications under subsection 7c72 or 7#b7 carrying out projects using a grant under this section4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator to carry out this section #ej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbf and each fiscal year thereafter4