Environment

Position On H.R.3738 – Heat Management Assistance Grant Act of 2025

06.19.25 | 1 min read

The Federation of American Scientists supports H.R. 3738 of the 119th Congress, titled the “Heat Management Assistance Grant Act of 2025.”

The Heat Management Assistance Grant Act of 2025 creates the Heat Management Assistance Grant (HMAG) Program, a quick release of Federal Emergency Management Agency grants to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments for managing heat events that could become major disasters. This resourcing can be used for responses to extreme heat events, including supplies, personnel, and public assistance. HMAG is modeled after the Fire Management Assistance Grant program, which similarly deploys quick funding to activities that prevent wildfires from becoming major disaster events. The bill also creates a definition for an extreme heat event, which informs subnational leaders on when they can ask for assistance.

“Heat emergencies, such as the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome and 2024 power outage following Hurricane Beryl in Texas, demonstrate a critical need for government assistance for heat-affected communities. Yet to date, there has been no federal pathway for rapidly resourcing heat response,” said Grace Wickerson, Senior Manager for Climate and Health at the Federation of American Scientists. “The Heat Management Assistance Grant Act of 2025 is a critical step in the right direction to unlock the resources needed to save lives, and aligns with key recommendations from our 2025 Heat Policy Agenda.”

publications
See all publications
Environment
Article
How Methane Emissions Events Impact Air Quality and Put Human Health at Risk

99% of the natural gas sampled near the point of extraction across the country contains hazardous air pollutants harmful to health.

07.30.26 | 11 min read
read more
Environment
Policy Statement
Position on the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 (WEPA)

The Federation of American Scientists supports the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 (WEPA). The Act would amend Section 319(b) of the Clean Air Act so that it addresses prescribed burns as a standalone activity. If passed, this bill would support wildfire resilience by reducing administrative barriers to getting needed prescribed burns on the ground.  […]

07.27.26 | 2 min read
read more
Environment
Press release
Endorsement of the National Coordination on Adaptation and Resilience for Security (NCARS) Act of 2026

The NCARS Act would amend the National Security Act of 1947 to establish a durable, coordinated federal approach to national resilience.

07.17.26 | 2 min read
read more
Environment
Press release
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 […]

07.07.26 | 3 min read
read more