LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — Extreme heat brought on by climate change is placing Nevada low income families and outdoor laborers at a “crisis point,” community advocates said on Wednesday.
Statistics showing 491 people have died because of exposure to extreme heat in Southern Nevada brought attention from U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Climate Action Campaign, CHISPA, Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition, Institute for a Progressive Nevada, and Make the Road Nevada during an online news conference.
“More of our neighbors are dying,” Glenda Ayala, a member of CHISPA, said.
Heat-related deaths in Clark County increased by 67% over the past year, on top of a 78% increase the previous year, according to statistics that Titus cited.
But the effects on low-income families go beyond deaths. Utility bills are a tipping point for many Nevadans.
“As our record-breaking temperatures continue to rise alongside skyrocketing utility rates, families are facing impossible choices between keeping their homes cool and sacrificing other essential expenses like groceries, medical treatments, and prescriptions, due to these high utility costs,” according to Jackie Spicer, coordinator for the Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition.