Nevada senator wants federal funding for extreme heat emergencies

Sen. Jacky Rosen introduced legislation Friday to designate extreme heat as a major disaster, which would allow communities to receive federal aid during heat-related emergencies.

The Extreme Heat Emergency Act, co-sponsored by Rosen, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, would help Nevada and other states respond to extreme heat events and prevent future disasters, according to a Wednesday news release.

“Last year, more than 500 people died in one single county in Nevada from heat-related illnesses,” Rosen wrote in the news release. “Current federal policy ignores the physical and health risks that such extremely high temperatures have on our communities, which is why I’m introducing a bill to change that.”

The release cites heat-related deaths and critical infrastructure damage as severe effects of extreme temperature. Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related death in the U.S., according to the release.

The Valley saw its hottest temperature of the year — 112 degrees — on Monday. Southern Nevada has already seen 29 heat-related deaths this year, Clark County announced Tuesday.

This isn’t the first time legislators have attempted to secure federal funding for heat emergencies. In 2023, Gallego and Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., introduced an act of the same name, but it quickly languished and has not been voted on since.

The measure has received bipartisan support in previous legislative efforts. If passed, it would add heat to a long list of recognized disasters under the Stafford Act, including hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, mudslides, earthquakes, snowstorms and more.

“By classifying extreme heat as a major disaster, our communities will be able to receive the federal funding needed to respond and prepare for future extreme heat events,” Rosen wrote.

Contact Isaiah Steinberg at isteinberg@reviewjournal.com. Follow @IsaiahStei27 on X.