Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced four bills Wednesday to have the federal government help the public, businesses and agricultural operations combat the effects of wildfire smoke and recover from the damage it causes.
They are called the Smoke-Ready Communities Act, the Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act, the Farmworker Smoke Protection Act, and the Smoke Planning and Research Act.
“Last August in the Rogue Valley, I looked up at a sun that was neon pink through the thick haze of smoke from wildfires,” Merkley said. “Business owners and organizations told me how the smoke caused lost reservations, canceled shows, and even irreparable damage at a furniture store after the fabrics absorbed the smoke smell.
"Folks told me about respiratory problems even indoors, because HVAC systems weren’t equipped to handle the level of pollution they were experiencing. And communities all over the state experienced these impacts."