Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

http://www.epa.gov/heatisld/mitigation/statelocal_activities.htm

The problem is that there are heat island effects and large amounts of smog in the areas around Federal facilities. Heat islands are areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas. There is a bill proposed called the Heat Island and Smog Reduction act of 2011, bill H.R.51. This act requires each federal agency, by April 1, 2012, to develop a heat island reduction plan for all federal property and facilities under its possession or control that are located in an area designated under the Clean Air Act as being in nonattainment with national ambient air quality standards for ozone. Requires each plan to include measures to maximize tree cover on federal property, increase solar reflectivity through techniques such as roofs with solar reflectivity, vegetated roofs, and paving materials with higher solar reflectivity. Requires the Administrator of the General Services to submit annual reports to specified congressional committees assessing agency progress in developing and implementing such plans.

This bill is focusing on the heat island effect that is surrounding Federal facilities. The people living in the surrounding areas are the people that are mainly affected by the heat islands in this area, but the heat island effect is happening in many cities. Since the heat island effect means that the temperature is going up, there is an increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality. The people affected the most are those living in the communities. Older people will be affected the most because they usually do not have very much money. People that don’t have money probably don’t have air conditioners, and older adult bodies do not adapt to heat well, resulting in heat related deaths. The people losing are those living in the communities. They are losing money because they have to pay more for air conditioning. The people that live in these areas are also getting sick, so they are losing their health. When there are more emissions of toxic chemicals in the air people are breathing them in, getting sick. No one really gains anything by not doing anything about the heat islands. They just do not have to spend the initial money of getting green roofs, cool pavement, urban forests, and other things that will help reduce the urban heat. Right now doing these things is a voluntary act but this is the first of probably many bills that will require areas to become greener.

The consequences of this issue will be good for all. Yes, there will be money that needs to be spent to become greener, but every one that works or lives or visits the effected areas will be breathing and living more comfortably. The people that are most effected will become healthier and be saving money. The costs of this issue are going to be getting the green roofs and cool pavement, and stuff that is going to lower the heat of the area. The people who own the properties are going to have to bear these costs, but they will pay off in the long run. Right now the costs of this issue are lying in the hands of the people living and owning businesses in the communities. They are spending a lot of money on air conditioning and refrigeration. Once the initial costs of making the buildings green are paid the whole community will be able to recognize their bills going down. This will probably help boost the whole economy of the community. The democrats are probably going to be the ones to vote yes for this bill. For this specific bill it will be the ones in the D.C. community, but in every community that decides that they want to implement similar bills that is who would vote yes.  People that vote against the bill are those that do not get directly impacted by the heat islands.  They are the ones that aren't sitting in their houses with no air conditioning and developing asthma based on the amount of chemicals being released into the air.

I think that this bill should be passed.  Reducing heat islands and smog will be good for the health and overall wellbeing of the people in the communities effected.

Resources:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d112&querybd=@FIELD(FLD001+@4(Air+quality))
http://www.epa.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_heat_island