Heat wave may spread nationwide this week

by Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk - 07/24/23 5:00 PM ET

Energy & Environment

The Big Story

Heat wave expected to expand, cover most of US

The heat wave gripping much of the southwestern U.S. is projected to blanket most of the U.S. this week.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said Monday that excessive heat warnings are in place for the Great Basin, Southwest, Intermountain West, Great Plains and southern Florida, and projected further expansion in the days ahead.

“For much of July hot dangerous conditions have been the normal in parts of the West, Texas and Florida,” the NWS said. “These summer conditions will build and expand across the Eastern two-thirds of the country this week, starting in the north-central states and Plains.”

Most of the Plains and the Midwest are projected to reach temperatures in excess of 90 degrees by Tuesday, with the region possibly closing in on 100 degrees over the course of the week. The Northeast, meanwhile, is projected to see highs into the 90s.

Read more from our colleague Lauren Sforza at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Schumer eyes agency to bolster electricity goals amid permitting reform talks

As bipartisan lawmakers look for a compromise on provisions to speed up the build-out of the nation’s infrastructure, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is hoping that a federal agency may be able to carry out some of the changes his party supports.

Full Story

Greta Thunberg fined for disobeying police order at protest

A Swedish court fined climate activist Greta Thunberg Monday for disobeying police at an environmental protest at an oil terminal last month, according to The Associated Press.

Full Story

Woman found dead after ‘apparent bear encounter’ near Yellowstone

A woman was found dead after an “apparent bear encounter” near Yellowstone National Park in Montana on Saturday. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) said investigators confirmed grizzly bear tracks at the scene and said the investigation was ongoing.

Full Story

How US-Mexico collaboration could help stabilize the drought-stricken Colorado River basin

As stakeholders across the U.S. West prepare to rewrite the rules on Colorado River conservation, experts are urging them to consider Mexico’s needs up front. The 1,450-mile waterway, which stretches from the Rocky Mountains to the Sonoran Desert, is considered the lifeblood for about 40 million people in both countries.

Full Story

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Biden to establish national monument honoring Emmett Till

President Biden will reportedly sign a proclamation on Tuesday to establish a national monument honoring Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black teenager whose lynching in 1955 galvanized the Civil Rights Movement.

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Colorado is first in the U.S. to make rules tying pollution reduction to oil and gas production (The Colorado Sun)
‘We’re going to see workers die’: extreme heat is key issue in UPS contract talks (The Guardian)
15 billion gallons of sewage-polluted water flows annually into Philly’s rivers and streams, report says (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
States lose federal water funds as lawmakers redirect money to pet projects (The Washington Post)
Oil and gas industry in New Mexico could see higher land rates under federal proposal (The Carlsbad Current-Argus)

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Democratic memo takes aim at GOP-released FBI form with Biden-Burisma allegations

Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee are poking holes in GOP arguments that President Biden is corrupt, claims that are founded on unverified allegations from an FBI form released in controversial fashion last week. Read more