Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025
The Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025 would authorize funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award grants to state and local air pollution control agencies (including tribal agencies) to implement a “cleaner air space program.” The program centers on creating clean air centers and distributing high-quality, no-cost air filtration units to households in low-income communities at high risk from wildfire smoke. Grantees must partner with community-based organizations, establish at least one clean air center, advertise the program, educate users on how to create a clean air room in their homes, and collect data (including anonymous surveys) to evaluate effectiveness and inform potential expansion. The act caps grant amounts per agency, requires particular unit standards (CADR for smoke, Energy Star, no ozone emission, and HEPA-level filtration), and directs a final report to Congress within three years. It authorizes $30 million for fiscal years 2026–2028, with up to 10% for administrative costs. In short, the bill aims to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke for vulnerable households by funding public spaces and in-home filtration, while gathering data to assess impact and justify future expansion.
Key Points
- 1Public-facing clean air spaces and in-home filtration: Establishes clean air centers in publicly accessible buildings and distributes at least 1,000 high-quality air filtration units to eligible households at no cost, plus replacement filters.
- 2Targeted, high-quality filtration standards: Eligible filtration units must be CADR ≥ 97 for smoke, Energy Star certified, ozone-free, and equipped with a true HEPA filter removing 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles.
- 3Eligibility and targeting: Focuses on low-income communities with residents at high risk from wildfire smoke, including vulnerable health conditions, disabilities, or age; includes a definition of “covered households.”
- 4Partnerships and program design: Requires grant applicants to partner with at least one community-based organization and to provide detailed program plans, including outreach, center locations, advertisement, and cost information.
- 5Accountability and reporting: Grants require a cap of $3 million per agency, include tribal grant provisions, and mandate a Congress-bound report after three years detailing program implementation, survey results, and expansion or improvement recommendations.
- 6Funding and administration: Authorized $30 million total for FY 2026–FY 2028, with up to 10% allowed for administrative expenses.