Bill · S. 5145· Senate(119-S-5145)
Wildfire Air Quality Sensor Expansion Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 7/28/2026
- Last activity
- 7/28/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Sponsored by
- Jacky Rosen
- Cosponsors
- - 5 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Wildfire Air Quality Sensor Expansion Act of 2026 aims to clarify how existing Clean Air Act grants can be used to buy and run portable air sensors. It establishes competitive grant programs for air pollution control agencies to improve air quality monitoring, especially in rural or remote areas. The bill also expands existing air sensor loan programs to include more regions, States, and Indian tribes. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator is tasked with providing technical assistance for sensor operation and maintenance. The legislation seeks to address the health risks and economic burdens caused by wildfire smoke through better data collection.
Yes· 3 of 10
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+6
The bill enhances environmental monitoring of air quality during wildfires.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+6
The bill prioritizes air quality monitoring and technical assistance for rural areas.
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?+5
The bill provides better data and tools to mitigate the impacts of wildfire disasters.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Improved Health and Economic Protection: The bill addresses findings that wildfire smoke can cause respiratory and cardiac issues, increased mortality, and economic burdens (Section 2).
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Enhanced Monitoring in Underserved Areas: Grants will prioritize agencies using sensors in remote or rural locations where air quality monitoring is currently absent or scarce (Section 5, subsection a, paragraph 3).
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Better Data for Public Safety: Grant recipients must coordinate with the Administrator to share data and adjust it for public maps, such as the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map tool (Section 5, subsection a, paragraph 2).
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Increased Access to Loan Programs: The bill expands air sensor loan programs to include regions, States, and lands under Indian tribes that do not currently participate, specifically focusing on areas most severely impacted by wildfires (Section 5, subsection b, paragraph 1).
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Expert Support for Local Agencies: The Administrator will provide technical assistance for tasks like sensor placement, type selection, and data management (Section 6, subsection b).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+6Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+5Improves Rural Development+4
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+6Good For Native Americans+5
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+5Increases Research Funding+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3Increases Federal Power+2
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+4
- 8/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/30/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/28/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont