Bernie Moreno

Sen. Bernie Moreno wants to punish Canada after smoke from wildfires ravaging the country blanketed Ohio.

Moreno announced legislation July 17 to sanction Canadian officials "for their failure to contain the wildfires polluting American skies," according to a news release. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued a second statewide air quality alert on July 17 as cities experience conditions ranging from unhealthy to hazardous.

"Thanks to Canada’s failed leadership, Ohio's skies are seeing the worst pollution on record and Ohioans across the state are being subjected to hazardous conditions," Moreno said in a statement. "We will not tolerate this incompetence."

Moreno's bill would require the Trump administration to determine whether the wildfires harmed U.S. air quality. If yes, the United States would impose sanctions on Canada and certain officials deemed complicit, such as the prime minister and heads of forestry and land management. The bill would also revoke their visas and block them from entering the United States.

Moreno and other Republicans contend Canada failed to utilize techniques to prevent wildfires, such as prescribed burns and forest thinning. As of July 17, there were 895 active wildfires across the country, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

When asked about the criticism, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the United States of opposing clean energy and said it's every country's responsibility to address climate change, The Canadian Press reported.

State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at [email protected] or @haleybemiller on X.