Ashley Ward

Report · July 17, 2026 This report examines California’s legislative record on extreme heat from 2014 through 2025. During this period, California introduced 128 bills addressing extreme heat mitigation and adaptation, of which 57 passed—a passage rate of approximately 45%. Cali ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Conversations with Faith Leaders: Exploring Faith-Based Perspectives on Heat Resilience in North and South Carolina

Report · May 22, 2026 Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, disproportionately impacting low-income communities, older adults, and people with chronic conditions. In rural and semirural areas along the I-95 corridor in North and South Caroli ... Open Access Link to item Cite

LIHEAP Under Heat: Assessing Policy Reforms and Funding Needs to Address State Energy Burdens

Report · February 9, 2026 The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is the federal government’s primary tool for addressing energy affordability, distributing billions of dollars to low-income households each year. While LIHEAP has served millions of households for dec ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Modernizing Heat Alerts in North Carolina: A Health-Based Framework for Subregional Risk Communication

Report · December 16, 2025 In response to rising extreme heat risks across North Carolina, this study refines and evaluates the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) Climate and Health Program’s Heat Health Alert System (HHAS), a health-based warning framework first intro ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Counting the Cost: Quantifying the Rising Impacts of Heat-Related Productivity Losses in the United States (2001–2023)

Report · September 29, 2025 Extreme heat is increasingly recognized as a major threat to workers' health and economic productivity. This study quantifies how rising temperatures have eroded US economic productivity over the past two decades, especially in heat-exposed industries. Usi ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Heat Legislation in the Southeast: Gaps, Innovations, and Opportunities

Report · September 18, 2025 Extreme heat is the fastest-growing weather-related hazard in the United States, posing mounting risks to human health, infrastructure, and economic stability. Nowhere is this threat more urgent than in the Southeastern states, where high humidity, widespr ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Engaging Communities, Aligning Strategies, and Scaling Solutions: A Report from HeatWise DC

Report · September 12, 2025 HeatWise DC—a continuation of the HeatWise Policy Partnership launched in 2024—brought together 62 cross-sectoral leaders to confront the rising threat of extreme heat. Held in Washington, DC, the three-day event focused on rural vulnerability; national se ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Confronting Heat Challenges—Cross-Sector Strategies for National Resilience: A Report from the 2024 HeatWise Policy Partnership Summit

Report · November 4, 2024 The HeatWise Policy Partnership Summit is a key component of a cyclical two-year program that encompasses stakeholder engagement, event planning, biannual convening, reporting key findings, and outreach to policymakers. During the 2023 engagement phase, As ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Defining Extreme Heat as a Hazard: A Review of Current State Hazard Mitigation Plans

Report · April 20, 2023 Heat is the leading cause of weather-related death in the United States. Each US state must have a FEMA-approved state hazard mitigation plan (SHMP) to be eligible for certain non-emergency disaster funds and funding for mitigation projects. Many US states ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Technology Adoption at Public Agencies: Identifying Challenges and Building Opportunities to Modernize Public Water Data Infrastructure

Report · February 9, 2023 Open Access Link to item Cite