NY.– Dozens of environmentalists, labor and health care groups came together Monday to deliver a petition to pressure the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, to declare that extreme heat and smoke from the Wildfires “are major disasters,” as are floods and tornadoes.
The petition is a major push for the federal government to help states and local communities struggling due to the rising costs of climate change.
If accepted, the petition could direct FEMA funds to help localities prepare for heat waves and wildfire smoke by building cooling centers or installing filtration systems in schools.
The agency could also help during emergencies by paying for water distribution, health checks for vulnerable people and increased electricity use.
The support from major labor groups like the AFL-CIO and the International Occupational Safety Union is part of a broader strategy by unions to create protection for tens of millions of people working outdoors or without air conditioning during surges. heat.
Unions want the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, to require employers to protect workers from extreme temperatures.
The White House has pressured officials at the Labor Department, who oversee OSHA, to release draft heat regulations this summer.
Although major businesses and industry groups, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, oppose any new requirements.
Labor groups and workers’ rights organizations hope that, if the FEMA petition is accepted, there could be more pressure from employers to address workplace heat.
The move highlights growing concern about the impact of extreme heat among lawmakers, activists and labor groups.
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