WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act. The bill would create a $30 million grant program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for entities such as local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, Tribal governments, and nonprofits to implement efforts that prevent and offset the effects of excess urban heat including: cool pavements, cool roofs, tree planting and maintenance, green roofs, bus stop covers, cooling centers, and local heat mitigation education efforts.
See coverage below:
On the Airwaves
Reporter: “Tonight in Washington, a new bill to get federal support for heat relief introduced today by Senator Ruben Gallego. This bill would create a $30 million grant program to fund programs that study ways to mitigate the effects of heat islands, urban areas where population density, a lack of shade, and other factors pushed temperatures higher.”
Reporter: “Finding solutions to help all of us deal with the heat a little better, Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego introducing the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act this week. ABC15 has reported quite a bit on the urban heat island effect. These are areas within a city that experience higher temps to do things like increased population density, a lack of shade, and pavement infrastructure. If it passes, the act would create a $30 million grant program for local and Tribal governments to find ways to help beat the heat. For example, let’s talk about this, the City of Phoenix has already laid out some plans for 100 miles of cool pavement. We know some cases already been installed and they’re looking to install some more.”
Reporter: “In Washington, a new bill to get federal support for heat relief introduced today by Senator Ruben Gallego. This bill would create a $30 million grant program to fund programs that study ways to mitigate the effects of heat islands, urban areas where population density, a lack of shade, and other factors push temperatures higher.”
In Print
Axios: First look: Gallego introduces bill on heat islands
[Nick Sobczyk, 3/28/25]
Sen. Ruben Gallego is introducing legislation today aimed at solving the problem of heat islands as large swaths of the U.S. break springtime temperature records this week.
Urban temperature hotspots, created when pavement and buildings trap heat, are an increasingly acute problem for states like Arizona and cities across the country.
Cities, particularly in their poorer areas, often get much hotter than the surrounding region because they lack tree cover that can cool temperatures.
The Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act, seen first by Axios, would create a $30 million federal grant program to fund cooling centers, tree planting and building improvements that can keep temperatures down.
Gallego first introduced the bill as a member of the House.
KJZZ: Sen. Gallego proposes $30M federal grant to help cities deal with extreme heat
[Katherine Davis-Young, 3/27/25]
Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona is sponsoring a new bill to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat in urban areas across the U.S.
As heat-related deaths in Arizona have increased, local leaders in the state have called for a more permanent source of federal funding to protect people from extreme temperatures.
In the last few summers, Maricopa County and the City of Phoenix largely relied on temporary pandemic relief funds to pay for cooling centers and other heat relief initiatives.
In his Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act, Gallego is proposing to create a $30 million grant program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Local governments, tribes or nonprofits could use the grants for things like cool roof technology, tree planting or cooling centers.