Sec. 403. Tree planting grant program
541 words·~2 min read·
/bill/117/hr/7949/ih/section-403·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in this section referred to as the Secretary ), in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish a grant program under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to plant qualifying trees in overburdened communities for the purpose of mitigating and reducing high surface temperatures and cooling the surrounding area.”. An eligible entity that seeks to receive a grant under subsection
(a)shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. An application submitted under paragraph
(1)shall include a 5-year timeline and budget for the planting and maintenance associated with any qualifying trees awarded. The Secretary shall require eligible entities to develop a public participation plan to ensure that residents of the area in which a project is to be implemented are involved in decision making about the project and such public participation plan may include— opportunities for local nonprofits to be involved; opportunities for public input; and demonstrated support from the community. The Secretary shall determine which eligible entities shall receive a grant under this section. When awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority— to eligible entities that, as determined by the Secretary, have or are likely to develop a housing policy plan designed to avoid the displacement of current residents, including a plan for new housing development or a plan for increasing property value in the overburdened community; and applications that utilize tree species that are proven to be more resilient to climate change and extreme weather events common in the area in which a project is to be implemented. An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection
(a)shall use amounts provided to cover costs associated with— implementing the tree planting project in an overburdened community, including— planning and designing the planting activity; purchasing qualifying trees; and preparing the site and conducting planting, including the labor and cost associated with the use of machinery; maintaining and monitoring planted trees for a period of up to 5 years to ensure successful establishment of the qualifying trees; training activities associated with the project; and other relevant costs, as determined by the Secretary. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2032. In this section: The term eligible entity means— a State, Territory, or Tribal agency; a local government entity; an Indian Tribe; and a nonprofit organization. The term limited English proficiency household means that a household does not have an adult that speaks English very well as determined by the United States Census Bureau. The term local governmental entity means any municipal government or county government with jurisdiction over local land use decisions. The term qualifying tree means a tree that— is a species that is not an invasive species in the eligible area in which such tree is to be planted; and is not a species that is, in the eligible area at the time of planting, being attacked by an invasive species, unless the eligible entity has a plan to limit the risk of death of the tree to be planted.