Amid Sweltering Weather, the Federation of American Scientists Releases Expert-Sourced “State and Local Heat Policy Agenda”
Nearly 150 organizations and government officials have endorsed the call to action and solutions for extreme heat, now public at HeatAgenda.US
Washington, D.C. – July 7, 2026 – As millions of Americans continue to struggle to stay cool following one of the hottest Independence Day holidays on record, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), one of the oldest nonpartisan, nonprofit science policy organizations in the United States, is today releasing the State and Local Heat Policy Agenda – a clear statement of what’s needed to protect American workers, children, and communities from the rapidly escalating threat of extreme heat. Almost 150 organizations and government officials, representing over 40 states, have signed onto this call to action, now visible at HeatAgenda.US.
“More places than ever are now struggling with extreme heat. As America celebrated its 250th anniversary this past weekend, over 185 million Americans – over half the population – were under an extreme heat alert,” observes Dr. Hannah Safford, Associate Director of Climate and Environment. “The State and Local Heat Policy Agenda helps communities adapt to this new normal, by providing easy access to the solutions that science shows can effectively curb the worst impacts of dangerously hot temperatures.”
The State and Local Heat Policy Agenda was created by FAS in collaboration with hundreds of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, advocacy organizations, community-based organizations, government officials, private companies, and other contributors. The Agenda outlines 15 outcomes that state and local leaders should pursue in order to ensure Safe Homes, Safe Workplaces, Safe Schools and Childcare, and Safe Communities when extreme heat hits.
Signatories include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the United Auto Workers (UAW) Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy, Climate Mayors, GreenLatinos, the Healthy Schools Network, ICLEI USA, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Housing Trust, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Union of Concerned Scientists, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and more than 100 other labor, health, advocacy, family and children, environmental, and public-sector organizations. The full list of signatories is available here.
To support Agenda implementation, HeatAgenda.US also includes a searchable database of more than 400 specific evidence-based policy solutions to extreme heat, as well as case studies from all 50 states illustrating the success of these solutions in action.
“Our research found heat-related actions happening in every state in the country. To orient this growing community of policymakers, we created the go-to guide for tackling extreme heat,” says Grace Wickerson, Senior Manager of Climate and Health. “Our policy recommendations aim to keep people safe now from dangerous heat exposure while building communities that don’t just survive the heat season, but thrive despite it.”
The call to action and resources available at HeatAgenda.US complements FAS’s federally oriented 2025 Heat Policy Agenda, recognizing the growing importance of state and local leadership on climate-related extreme weather events such as extreme heat.
Interested parties can sign on to the State and Local Heat Policy Agenda here. FAS will continue publicizing new supporters through the end of the summer, illustrating the broad support for action to build a heat-resilient nation.
To learn more, contact Grace Wickerson (gwickerson@fas.org). For media inquiries, contact Katie McCaskey (kmccaskey@fas.org).
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ABOUT FAS
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver transformative impact, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945, FAS continues to bring scientific rigor and analysis to address national challenges. More information about FAS’s work at fas.org.
Nearly 150 organizations and government officials have endorsed the call to action and solutions for extreme heat, now public at HeatAgenda.US Washington, D.C. – July 7, 2026 – As millions of Americans continue to struggle to stay cool following one of the hottest Independence Day holidays on record, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), one […]
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