My city was one of hundreds expecting federal funds to help manage rising heat wave risk – then EPA terminated the grants
UNITED STATES, JUL 9 – Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure and over 72% are at unhealthy weight, with cardiovascular costs expected to triple by 2050, the American Heart Association reports.
- In May 2025, the Trump administration terminated Spokane's $19.9 million EPA grant aimed at helping it manage growing heat wave risks.
- The grant was one of approximately 350 awards supported through congressional appropriations in the Inflation Reduction Act to assist communities at high risk from climate-related hazards.
- Spokane, a city of 230,000 near the Idaho border with many homes lacking air conditioning, suffered a deadly 2021 heat wave that killed 19 people and hospitalized 300.
- Half the grant's funds would outfit resilience hubs with solar and battery microgrids, while other funds would install efficient cooling systems for 300 low-income homes.
- The grant termination left Spokane's climate adaptation efforts uncertain, but a coalition filed a class action lawsuit seeking to restore funding amid warnings of future deadly heat waves.
194 Articles
194 Articles

My city was one of hundreds expecting federal funds to help manage rising heat wave risk – then EPA terminated the grants
The Pacific Northwest heat wave of 2021 left cities across Washington state sweltering in dangerous temperatures. AP Photo/Ted S. WarrenIn June 2021, a deadly heat wave pushed temperatures to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) in Spokane, Washington, a northern city near the Idaho border where many homes weren’t built with central air conditioning. As the heat lingered for over a week, 19 people died in Spokane County and about 300 visited hosp…
My city was one of hundreds expecting federal funds to manage rising heat wave risk. Then EPA terminated the grants
In June 2021, a deadly heat wave pushed temperatures to 109°F (43°C) in Spokane, Washington, a northern city near the Idaho border where many homes weren't built with central air conditioning.

(Family Features) While medical advances have helped people live longer with cardiovascular disease, many of the risk factors that lead to these diseases continue to grow.
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