With record heat waves blasting past the summer and into the fall across the nation, with Weather.org highlighting in a headline asking “How Unsual Is This September Heat Wave?” the fact that even though “meteorological autumn began on September 1, but it still feels like summer out there. Temperatures in the 90s are expected across much of central and southeast Illinois into the holiday weekend. Humidity levels are high enough to produce heat index values in the mid to upper 90s, but the brutally humid conditions from earlier this summer (when the dew point was near 80 degrees) is not expected. Many people, especially those sweating in un-air-conditioned schools, may be wondering if this is unusual.”
President Biden, taking aggressive action to combat the deadly summer heat trends, announced that because “rising temperatures pose an imminent threat to millions of American workers exposed to the elements, to kids in schools without air conditioning, to seniors in nursing homes without cooling resources, and particularly to disadvantaged communities. As with other weather events, extreme heat is gaining in frequency and ferocity due to climate change, threatening communities across the country. We have to act, and we have to act now!”
As a consequence of the heat, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the welcome relief that over 200,000 Michigan homes in need of additional utility assistance would be receiving $200 thanks to LIHEAP and the state’s Home Heating Credit Program, which the Governor explained “helps keep families warm by covering heating costs as we head into the fall, leaving more money on the table for other critical needs like rent, groceries, or bills. No one should have to choose between keeping the heat on and putting food on the table, but too many families face those kinds of choices today. As the heating season rapidly approaches, these extra dollars will help families meet their basic needs. The rest of our agenda, including the bipartisan budget we will sign, is laser-focused on helping every community thrive by expanding paths to good-paying jobs, lowering the cost of childcare, and repairing bridges and water infrastructure.”
In the same spirit, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker shared the good news with his home state that $327 in new LIHEAP Assistance was available to help with both overdue summer and forthcoming winter utility bills, encouraging households in need around the state to take advantage of the “community assistance programs for low-income families that includes the latest round of our Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program and the Community Services Block Grant Program. We are offering residents in need more access than ever before to vital safety net programs that can prevent them from falling behind on payments, falling into debt, or risking their ability to get back to work. Overall, this $327 million investment represents a $52 million increase over last year’s programs. It’s a historic investment to meet a historic moment.”
Reporting by JB
Sources:
https://www.weather.gov/ilx/sep2015-heat
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90640-569205--,00.html
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2021/09/24/633480.htm