In the Hot Seat: State and Local Governments Must Protect Their People from Extreme Heat

Coauthored with Colin Hartnett, University of Maryland School of Public Policy alumnus

Nearly every corner of the United States has been harmed by oppressively hot days in recent years. Heat waves have gotten longer, more frequent, and more intense since the 1960s, and the share of U.S. deaths attributable to the hottest days increased by more than 50 percent from 2000 to 2020. In response, state and local leaders have repeatedly asked the federal government for help with heat-related planning, recovery, and resilience activities, potentially through the use of a heat “major disaster declaration” that would unlock funding commonly used for flooding, tornadoes, and other high-damage events.

After researching this idea—including a series of interviews with state and local experts in 11 states with roles in emergency management, climate resilience, health care, and other relevant areas—NRDC finds that the declaration process is not well suited to the unique characteristics of extreme heat. And given the current policy context, which is hostile to climate action, it is even more true that state and local governments cannot rely on the federal government to deliver meaningful help before, during, or after dangerous heat events.

Instead, state and local policymakers will need to take the lead to help protect their residents from extreme heat, through actions such as budgeting for extreme heat on an ongoing basis and appointing empowered leaders to oversee extreme heat planning and response.