Beating the heat: Why Arizona families deserve clean, affordable energy

Lauren Melcher

Submitted photo/Kate Gardiner

If we want a healthier, safer Arizona, we must protect the programs and policies that make that possible. Contact your Arizona members of Congress today and urge them to oppose any attempt to cut or divert this vital funding.”

As a nurse at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, I see the toll Arizona’s extreme heat takes on patients every day. Our seasons have shifted — just last winter, it still felt like summer well into November. This isn’t normal. It’s a warning sign of a growing public health crisis.

Arizona is heating up faster than much of the country. Our “hot season” now lasts for months, and escaping the heat can be a matter of life or death. For seniors, kids, outdoor workers and those with chronic illnesses, extreme heat combined with aging homes and high energy costs poses a deadly threat.

Arizona’s deadly duo: Extreme heat and air pollution

The health impacts of extreme heat are well-documented. Heat can trigger a heart failure exacerbation, dehydration, heatstroke and worsen respiratory issues. On my floor at the hospital, we often see heart failure cases surge in summer as heat, dehydration and stress all play a role in sending people to the ER. And when patients arrive with multiple health issues — like chronic conditions paired with heat-related exposures — their hospital stays are often longer and their recoveries more difficult.

The threat is worse for those without stable housing. Living outdoors with no shade, water or air-conditioning can be fatal. In Phoenix, over 28,000 people and in Tucson, over 66,000 people, often low-income families and communities of color facing poor infrastructure and limited cooling, live in these hotter zones. This disparity is also evident in our hospitals: those who are hardest hit often have the fewest resources.

But it’s not just the thermometer we need to worry about. Our heat crisis is exacerbated by dangerously high air pollution levels. High temperatures accelerate the formation of ozone, a harmful pollutant that inflames the lungs and exacerbates heart and respiratory issues. The American Lung Association gave Gila, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties “F” grades for their high number of unhealthy ozone days, highlighting the urgent need for solutions that address both climate and public health.

Clean energy incentives: A health solution hiding in plain sight

Thanks to investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there’s new hope for families struggling to stay cool and safe. Programs funded by these laws are helping Arizonans weatherize their homes, install energy-efficient cooling systems, and reduce their utility bills. For example, installing a heat pump A/C system could come with a $2,000 tax credit, resulting in an estimated $500 reduction in annual energy costs.

But for too many, the danger doesn’t end indoors. Older homes with poor insulation and outdated cooling systems can quickly turn into ovens. High electricity costs make it difficult for families to run their A/C as often as needed. On average, low-income households spend nearly 14% of their income on energy, compared to just 3% for higher-income families. For seniors on fixed incomes, it can mean an impossible choice: keep the air conditioning on or afford essential medication.

With nearly 1,000 Arizonans lost to heat-related deaths between 2012 and 2022, we need every tool to make homes safer, and Arizona’s newly launched Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program is one of the strongest tools we’ve got.

Led by the Governor’s Office of Resiliency and funded through the IRA, HEAR offers up to $14,000 in rebates to help low- and moderate-income families upgrade appliances, insulation and electric panels, covering up to 100% of costs for low-income households and 50% for moderate-income ones. HEAR helps families save money, stay cool, breathe easier and avoid dangerous heat exposure — all while easing strain on the electrical grid.

Arizona is leading, but our progress is at risk

Arizona has already seen the benefits of clean energy investment. Thanks to the IRA, our state has attracted over $12.75 billion and created nearly 13,000 new jobs, building a sustainable economy rooted in community health.

But this progress isn’t guaranteed. Repealing clean energy incentives could raise energy costs by nearly $400 per household and stall momentum. Recent Executive Orders and the recent reconciliation bill, which could cut or pause key federal grants, are putting lives and hard-earned progress at risk. Here in Tucson, it felt like the rug was pulled out from under our community when we learned that a $20 million Community Change Grant, meant to help low-income neighborhoods cope with extreme heat, may be canceled.

As a nurse, I treat the symptoms of extreme heat daily. But if we want real change, we need to address the root causes — and that means doubling down on clean energy solutions. I would ask any policymaker delaying or rolling back these investments: What’s the plan to keep people safe as our summers grow hotter and more dangerous?

This isn’t just about climate. It’s about saving lives.

If we want a healthier, safer Arizona, we must protect the programs and policies that make that possible. Contact your Arizona members of Congress today and urge them to oppose any attempt to cut or divert this vital funding. Learn more about Arizona’s HEAR Program and how to apply at www.efficiencyarizona.com.

Editor’s note: Lauren Melcher is a registered nurse at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson and a member of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, She is a Tucson native. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.