ICYMI: President Biden Announces New Actions to Protect Workers and Communities from Extreme Weather

Yesterday, President Biden announced new actions to protect workers and communities from the impacts of extreme weather, including the first-ever proposed federal safety standard addressing excessive heat in the workplace, and $1 billion to help communities protect against disasters and natural hazards, including extreme heat, storms, and flooding.

As the impacts of flooding, drought, wildland fires, heat waves, and other extreme weather events intensify, President Biden is delivering on the most ambitious climate agenda in American history — an agenda that is lowering energy costs for hardworking families, bolstering America's energy security, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, and strengthening community-driven climate resilience across the country.

See more below:

The New York Times: Biden Calls Climate Denial 'Dumb,' Announces New Heat Protections for Workers
[Lisa Friedman and Noah Weiland, 7/2/24]

President Biden on Tuesday called denying the effects of climate change "really, really dumb" and said that extreme heat and other weather disasters fueled by rising global temperatures have cost billions of dollars and thousands of American lives.

"Ignoring climate change is deadly and dangerous and irresponsible," Mr. Biden said. He warned that temperatures have already shattered records this summer, and are expected to climb, as he proposed new protections for workers exposed to dangerous heat on the job.

Mr. Biden spoke at the District of Columbia's emergency operations center, where he and cabinet officials were briefed on extreme weather developments across the country. His remarks were some of the most forceful he's given on climate change, and he used the moment to denounce Republican lawmakers who oppose his policies.

AP News: Biden proposes new rule to protect 36 million workers from extreme heat
[Suman Naishadham, 7/2/24]

President Joe Biden on Tuesday proposed a new rule to address excessive heat in the workplace, warning — as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories — that high temperatures are the country's leading weather-related killer.

If finalized, the measure would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job — establishing the first major federal safety standard of its kind. Those affected by excessive heat in the workplace include farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers and indoor workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens.

Biden highlighted the proposed rule as one of five steps his Democratic administration is taking to address extreme weather as Hurricane Beryl is already ripping through the Caribbean in an ominous sign for the summer.

AJC: Biden unveils new federal heat protections, a boon for Ga. farmworkers
[Lautaro Grinspan, 7/2/24]

The Biden administration proposed a new rule Tuesday to address excessive heat in the workplace, as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories due to blistering temperatures.

If finalized, the measure would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job — establishing the first major federal safety standard of its kind. Included in that number are the over 40,000 Georgia agricultural workers who toil in the state's farms and fields every year. Also benefiting from the rule would be delivery and construction workers, landscapers and indoor workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens.

Fox 10 Phoenix: Extreme Heat: Biden admin unveiled new rules
[Connor Hansen, 7/2/24]

On a visit with emergency management workers in Washington D.C., President Biden announced new rules to protect workers from hot weather. The Biden Administration wants employers to provide shade, water, and rest breaks to workers when the heat index soars above 80. Companies that don't, could face steeper fines. […] The President stressed that tens of millions of Americans are now under heat warnings. Biden also announced funding to protect communities against extreme weather like flooding.

WKMG News 6: Biden administration proposes new heat regulations for workers
[7/2/24]

Heat waves are scorching states across the U.S. The rise in temps can be a threat to communities ... Tuesday, President Joe Biden said his Administration is working to protect workers and communities from the impacts of intense heat. The White House says farmworkers, firefighters, and construction workers are disproportionately impacted by extreme heat. Biden's Administration says hundreds of workers have died and thousands more are hospitalized each year.

The Verge: Biden administration proposes new heat protections for workers
[Justin Calma, 7/2/24]

The Biden administration says it will propose new rules today to protect workers from the deadliest weather-related risk Americans face: extreme heat. The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expected to post its new heat protections on the federal register today, Biden administration officials said on a press call yesterday.

The rules are supposed to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths on the job. Heat already kills far more people in the US than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or any other weather-related disaster. Global warming is only making the problem worse, leading to longer, more frequent, and more intense heatwaves. The proposed rules are meant to enable workplace protections to catch up with that reality.