PRESS RELEASE: Health Leaders Urge Gov. Polis to Treat Extreme Heat as a Public Health Emergency

HAWC Colorado • July 24, 2025

National and Local Coalition Calls for Urgent State Action to Protect Communities from Worsening Heat Risks

Colorado Springs, CO–As record-breaking heat waves threaten communities across the country, a national coalition of health organizations, advocates, and frontline health professionals is urging governors – including Colorado Governor Jared Polis – to take immediate action to protect residents from the life-threatening impacts of extreme heat.

In an open letter sent to state leadership ahead of the National Governors Association summer meeting starting Thursday, more than 130 organizations – coordinated by the Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health – called on state leaders to treat extreme heat as the growing public health crisis it is. The signers include physicians, nurses, public health experts, major health associations, and climate organizations, including groups here in Colorado.

“Extreme heat is not just a summer inconvenience – it is a public health emergency that demands leadership and swift action,” the letter states. “With better planning and stronger protections, states can save lives, protect vulnerable communities, and ease the growing burden on health systems.”

Extreme heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States, with an estimated 2,300 deaths in 2023 – and at least 21 in Colorado in 2024 – and when excess deaths are fully counted, the true toll likely exceeds 10,000 lives lost each year.

“Extreme heat is a deadly threat to public health in Colorado," said Alex Boian, Executive Director of Healthy Air and Water Colorado, "Every summer, we see more people in emergency rooms, more vulnerable residents left without relief, and more pressure on already strained health systems. Governor Polis has the opportunity to lead with the urgency this crisis demands — by treating extreme heat as a public health emergency and protecting those who are most at risk.”

The health risks are severe and far-reaching. High temperatures worsen cardiovascular, respiratory, and kidney diseases, increase risks for pregnant people and children, and drive up air pollution levels that contribute to chronic illnesses.

"Dangerous and worsening heat waves are putting Coloradans’ lung health at risk," said Nick Torres, Advocacy Director with the American Lung Association in Colorado. "Strong, decisive action from our state leaders is critical to prepare for extreme heat events, track their impacts, and invest in strategies to reduce health harms and ultimately to save lives – especially in our most vulnerable communities.”

Vulnerable communities – including outdoor workers, people without reliable cooling, children, older adults, and low-income families – feel these dangers first and worst, often without the resources to stay safe.

"Extreme heat is a growing public health and economic threat in Colorado, especially for those who are already bearing the brunt of inequities in our state – outdoor and construction workers, older adults, children, and people living without access to cooling," said Sophie Shea, Policy Analyst at the Colorado Fiscal Institute. "We need bold public investment to protect the health, safety, and dignity of every Coloradan."

Meanwhile, health systems in states like Colorado are under growing strain as hospitals and emergency responders face surging heat-related ER visits, 911 calls, and rising demand for care, pushing an already overburdened system closer to crisis.

“Health professionals can’t stop the worst impacts of extreme heat alone — we need strong policies that prevent heat-related illnesses before they happen," said Lauren Swain, Coordinator for Physicians for Social Responsibility of Colorado. This is a matter of health, safety, and economic security for millions of Colorado residents.”

The coalition outlines four policy priorities for governors to act on now:

Launch statewide assessments and invest in health surveillance to track heat impacts.
Designate a statewide heat lead and develop a whole-of-government plan.
Treat extreme heat as a state of emergency to unlock resources and save lives.
Develop long-term financing and planning strategies to reduce extreme heat risks.

Read the full letter: https://bit.ly/NGALetter

For local media inquiries, please contact info@hawcolorado.org.

About the Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health

The letter was organized by the Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health (AHRH), a coalition dedicated to responding to the health harms of extreme heat. Participating organizations include the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, the American Lung Association, the American Public Health Association, the Federation of American Scientists, the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and many others.

About Healthy Air and Water Colorado

Healthy Air and Water Colorado (HAWC) mobilizes the voice of health professionals to shape policies that protect the well-being of people and the planet. By engaging health professionals, advancing science-based policy, and centering the communities most impacted by climate change, HAWC works to ensure clean air, safe water, and a healthy environment for all Coloradans. Learn more at hawcolorado.org.

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HAWC Update - Greetings from our new ED Alex Boian

By HAWC Colorado • March 3, 2025

Hello HAWC Advocates and Friends! As I begin my third week as the new executive director of Healthy Air and Water Colorado, I wanted to send this brief note to introduce myself and express my gratitude to all of you in HAWC’s network of climate advocates and health professionals. My first few days have been filled with listening, learning, and getting to know many of you, your interests, and the incredible work you do to address climate change in order to protect public health. I join HAWC after more than 20 years in federal and state public policy working on natural resource issues, land use, sustainability, and in collaboration with local communities to ensure equitable access to clean and healthy air and water in Colorado, and across the country. Throughout my work, one thing has always been true, and that is the tremendous power of passionate individuals who come together, a coalition united by a common cause seeking real and lasting change. The HAWC network and our partners in climate advocacy are the coalition that is needed now more than ever to take action and advocate for policies that address the health impacts of worsening air quality, extreme temperatures, and threats to water availability and quality. I am thankful to each of you for the work you do every day at the crossroads of public health and climate policy, and for the time, energy, and enthusiasm you contribute. We are planning some in-person events and advocacy trainings so we have an opportunity to connect with you all and energize our work going forward. Stay tuned for more. I look forward to joining you in the work ahead! With gratitude, Alex Boian Executive Director Healthy Air and Water Colorado

Press Release: Colorado Takes Important Step in Cutting Methane Pollution, But More Action is Needed

By HAWC Colorado • February 26, 2025

Colorado air quality leaders vote in favor of cutting oil & gas emissions

The Harrowing Health Impacts of Transportation Pollution

By Megan Kemp - HAWC Advocacy Manager • November 17, 2022

Health professionals across Colorado see it daily: our poor air quality is having debilitating and sometimes deadly impacts on our communities. While they understand it in the aggregate, they are experiencing it one patient at a time. Kids with higher rates of asthma. Adults who are forced to stay indoors during the summer heat or wildfire season because underlying conditions make it impossible for them to breathe. People who can no longer effectively manage their diabetes due to rising temperatures. More babies born prematurely or at low birth weights. The reality is that the impacts of climate change aren’t just showing up in large scale changes in the frequency and severity of storms and the creeping changes to our seasonal weather patterns, the impacts of climate change are literally written on our bodies. For historically red-lined communities that have ended up along neighborhood destroying highways, these impacts increase exponentially. A major driver of this climate change and the concentric circles of public health distress is transportation, the cars we drive and the trucks that transport our goods and services. If we can bend the curve on transportation, we can make a significant difference in the quality of our air and the ground level ozone that debilitates so many and adds to the real challenges to our public health. Pollution from transportation typically comes in two forms and impacts public health in different ways. Particulate pollution from vehicle tailpipes can result in premature death in people with heart or lung disease, heart attacks and irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma and other respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing. These challenges can be particularly pronounced in the very young and the very old.

Press Release: Health Experts Press for Federal Action on Climate Change

October 27, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oct. 27, 2022 Contact: Michele Ames 303-817-5510 Healthy Air & Water Colorado advocates press for federal action on climate change Listening session with Congressman Jason Crow focuses on high-impact policy change (DENVER, Oct. 27, 2022) – Health expert advocates on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus discussed their concerns about the worsening public health crisis driven by climate change with U.S. Congressman Jason Crow on Wednesday. The event was hosted by Healthy Air & Water Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine and University of Colorado Climate & Health Program. Healthy Air & Water Colorado, a sister organization of Healthier Colorado, the state’s leading health advocacy organization with over 100,000 members, helps health professionals from across the state speak out on policies that will help to curb the acceleration of climate change and reduce its current impacts on human health. Advocates working with the organization addressed policy they would like the federal government to pursue to help bend the curve on the worst health impacts of climate change. "When I think about what climate change is, it’s a child health issue. It’s not just about the polar bears, it’s about the health of our children,” said Dr. Bhargavi Chekuri, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Director of Continuing Medical Education at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Chekuri and other health experts shared their experience in dealing with climate related health impacts with the congressman. The clinical and scientific data has confirmed increases in various climate-related diseases including increases in childhood asthma rates, increases in chronic lung ailments, growing difficulty managing chronic issues like diabetes, increasing rates of preterm births and decreasing birth weights, to name a few. In addition, medical professionals are also dealing with the immediate, catastrophic impacts of the increasing severity of storms and the growing frequency and veracity of wild fires across western states. Among other policy priorities at the federal level aimed at combatting these health impacts, Healthy Air & Water Colorado advocates have been pressing for ongoing investments in the country’s green energy infrastructure, transportation alternatives to help reduce fossil fuel emissions from cars and trucks, a leading cause of greenhouse gas and federal adoption of Colorado’s methane emission standards, which are the toughest in the nation. “When individuals have access to affordable and quality health care, it creates healthy and resilient communities. It’s going to take healthy resilient communities to address climate change and the health impacts,” said Dr. Kyle Leggott, assistant Professor of Family Medicine and policy scholar at the Farley Health Policy Center on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. ### About Healthy Air & Water Colorado Healthy Air & Water Colorado is the only statewide advocate for public policy that focuses exclusively on the growing public health threats posed by climate change. The effort is a sister organization of Healthier Colorado, which is dedicated to policy solutions that give all Coloradans the chance to live healthier lives. By engaging frontline health care workers who see and treat the real health issues caused by our warming environment, we are combining fact-based research with clinical expertise to raise awareness and encourage action to advance policies that will help to avert our growing public health emergency.