111 Iowa L. Rev. 155 (2025)
Abstract
As the climate crisis deepens, environmental pressures like extreme heat and worsening air quality are steadily degrading daily life in the United States. Distinct from climate shocks like hurricanes or wildfires, these climate strains impact all Americans, but do so unequally, depending on several factors, including people’s geographic location, age, and whether they have the resources to adapt. These climate strains intensify inequalities in education, employment, health, and housing—as the poorest Americans bear the brunt of rising temperatures, declining air quality, and other climate strains.
After defining climate strains and showing their uneven effects on vulnerable populations, the Article critiques federal and state subsidies, investments, and regulations that inadequately address climate strains. It shows how existing programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (“LIHEAP”) remain ill-equipped for the climate crisis due to their block grant funding and outdated focus on cold weather rather than extreme heat. Meanwhile, tax credits largely sidestep poor Americans by making green investments inaccessible to those who need them most. And regulatory efforts to protect households and workers from utility disconnections and workplace hazards have stalled at both the federal and state levels.
To address these problems, this Article proposes a blueprint for reforming welfare programs, tax credits, and regulations to better address climate strains. Its recommendations include prioritizing cooling assistance, providing climate-focused tax credits to low-income households, and strengthening regulations to protect against utility disconnections and unsafe working conditions during extreme weather. This reimagined safety net would more effectively mitigate climate strains, particularly for the poorest Americans, at a time when more and more communities confront the daily strains of a changing climate.