WASHINGTON — As a heat wave sweeps across the nation, President Joe Biden on Thursday announced new measures to protect workers, including hazard warnings and weather improvement measures to inform employers and employees how to protect themselves from the heat wave. announced. Make predictions and make drinking water more accessible.

The measure comes at a time when nearly 40% of the U.S. population faces a heat advisory, according to the National Weather Service. The Southwest has already experienced high temperatures this month, and the Midwest and Northeast are expected to experience even hotter temperatures in the coming days. Washington is not immune either, with the capital’s heat index likely to reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit or 43 degrees Celsius on Friday.

This is a global problem, with scientists calculating that July will be the hottest month on record.

“It’s more like jumping into a hot tub than jumping into the ocean to catch a wave,” Biden said, noting that water temperatures near Miami exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Stated.

Biden, citing federal data, said extreme heat was the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the United States.

“Even in areas that are accustomed to extreme heat, it’s never been this hot in a long time,” Biden said. “Even those who deny that we are in the midst of a climate crisis cannot deny the impact that extreme heat is having on Americans.”

Biden seeks to address the immediate impacts of climate change, but has so far resisted pressure from Democrats and environmental groups to declare a climate change “state of emergency.” . The measures announced Thursday complement his long-term agenda of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and deploying clean energy technologies, which won’t be profitable for years to come as global temperatures continue to rise. It is a policy with potential.

Biden called on the Labor Department to step up inspections of potentially dangerous workplaces, such as farms and construction sites, and to crack down on heat safety violations.

As part of the effort, the department will issue a hazard alert to notify employers and employees on how to protect themselves from the heat wave that has killed 436 workers since 2011, according to federal statistics.

The Biden administration will spend $7 million to develop more detailed weather forecasts to predict extreme weather events such as heatwaves, and to strengthen drinking water infrastructure and climate resilience in California, Colorado and Washington. It plans to spend $52 million.

Biden was joined Thursday by Acting Labor Secretary Julie Hsu, as well as leaders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The mayors of two heatwave-hit cities, Phoenix and San Antonio, attended the White House event virtually.

“Phoenix is ​​known for its heat,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. “We are often called the Valley of the Sun. But right now, this summer is truly an unprecedented one. It is taking a toll on our communities. I have.”

The city of Phoenix was the first city in the nation to use public funds to set up a permanent heating office, Gallego said, and is now trying to keep residents indoors as much as possible in public cooling centers. The emphasis is on encouraging the use of water stations across the country, he said.

Phoenix has had temperatures above 110°F (43.3°C) for at least 27 consecutive days. A major city defined as the 25th most populous city in the United States, according to climate historian Christopher Burt, Phoenix has temperatures of 110 degrees Celsius (38 degrees Celsius) during the day and 90 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Celsius) at night. It is said that there is no long city. weather company.

Maricopa County, where Phoenix is ​​located, recently reported 25 heat-related deaths between April 11 and July 22. A further 249 deaths are still under investigation. The county had 425 deaths from heatstroke last year.

Other parts of Arizona are also struggling. A 26-year-old farm worker died after collapsing in a field on July 20, as temperatures peaked at 116 degrees Fahrenheit (46.7 degrees Celsius), according to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office.

San Antonio, Texas had temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) for at least 15 straight days. At least 13 people have died in Texas, blamed on the heatwave.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenburg said the city will move away from coal and open the first advanced rapid transit lines with low- or zero-emission vehicles. The city is also developing solar power and other renewable energy, he said.

“We believe that the state best known for producing oil and gas can lead the way to a greener tomorrow,” he said.

Thursday’s announcement follows other steps the Biden administration has taken to adapt to the growing threat of extreme heat. In doing so, it emphasizes:

The Department of Labor is developing standards for dealing with heat in the workplace. A rule proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would require employers to provide outdoor workers with adequate hydration and rest breaks, as well as medical services and training to deal with the signs and symptoms of heat stroke. . The agency is holding a meeting this summer to hear views on how heating standards will affect small businesses.

To keep low-income residents cool, the Department of Health and Human Services has expanded the Low-Income Residential Energy Assistance Program to increase access to air-conditioning and cooling centers such as libraries, seniors’ centers, and other public buildings. rice field. The Environmental Protection Agency also provides assistance to help communities develop cooling centers within schools.

NOAA is helping map the “heat islands” of cities and towns with dense buildings and few trees, and the USDA has issued guidelines for increasing canopy coverage to help cool the environment.

Additionally, the government launched a website called heat.gov with interactive maps, weather forecasts and tips for staying cool in record heat.

More than 100 lawmakers, led by Democrats Greg Cassall and Sylvia Garcia (Texas) and Judy Chu (California), will implement new heat standards for outdoor workers as soon as possible. I asked the government to

“We know that extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and more dangerous due to climate change,” lawmakers said in a letter Monday. “Immediate action is needed to prevent further deaths,” lawmakers said in a Monday letter.

United Farm Workers and other groups have also called on OSHA to immediately enact national rules to protect outdoor workers following the deaths of farm workers in Florida and Arizona this month.

“Farm workers need and deserve shade, water and paid breaks,” UFW President Teresa Romero said. “How many more workers will we have to kill in unsafe heat and ruthless employers before this country takes action?”

Freshman Austin Rep. Casal staged a “cheers strike” outside the US Capitol on Tuesday to protest a new Texas law banning local governments from requiring water breaks and other safety measures for outdoor workers. Done and ignored water breaks for almost 9 hours. . Cassar called the law “insane” and accused Republican Governor Greg Abbott of being “on the wrong side of history.” Republicans and other supporters of the law say it will eliminate a patchwork of local regulations burdening businesses. It does not interfere with workers’ breaks.

At least 42 workers in Texas died from environmental heat exposure between 2011 and 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Rudd Keith, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona who studies heat policy and governance, said the record-breaking heat experienced by much of the country was “very consistent with climate change projections.”

Despite recent headlines, rising temperatures typically don’t get as much attention as other climate risks such as floods and wildfires, Keith said.

“Until the last few years, the heat had never even been considered being addressed at the national or local level,” he said.

——

Mr. Costley reported from New Orleans. AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report.

FILE – A digital sign updates the time and temperature on July 18, 2023 with Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team, as temperatures are expected to reach 116 degrees in Phoenix. President Joe Biden is set to announce new measures to tackle the extreme heat that has recently threatened millions of Americans in the Southwest. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

President Joe Biden speaks at an event announcing new measures aimed at helping communities cope with extreme weather events at the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2023. From left, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Sue, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Dean Criswell, Biden, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Director Rick Spinrad. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Joe Biden speaks at an event announcing new measures aimed at helping communities cope with extreme weather events at the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2023. Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Dean Criswell listens to the left. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

FILE – A runner jogs along Tempetown Lake at sunrise on July 12, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. President Joe Biden is set to announce new measures to tackle the heat wave that has recently threatened millions of Americans in the Southwest. (AP Photo/Matt Yorke, File)

President Joe Biden speaks at an event announcing new measures aimed at helping communities cope with extreme weather events at the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)