National and Regional Greenways Act
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program for states, localities, and tribes to support community greenway paths for walking, bicycling, and other motor vehicle alternatives.
DOT must designate eligible greenway paths that are considered regionally or nationally significant through a national greenway paths network; paths must cross multiple localities or states, reduce congestion, improve safety, benefit the environment, support communities, or meet other specified criteria. Eligible projects must support access to public parks, transportation, and other community needs.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3566 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3566
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a program to
make grants for the improvement or construction of regionally or
nationally significant greenway paths, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 28, 2021
Ms. Bourdeaux (for herself, Mrs. McBath, Mr. David Scott of Georgia,
Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Johnson
of Georgia, and Mrs. Torres of California) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a program to
make grants for the improvement or construction of regionally or
nationally significant greenway paths, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National and Regional Greenways
Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL GREENWAYS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to make
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible organizations to improve or
construct safe and connected greenway paths between communities that
are designated as regionally or nationally significant by the Secretary
under subsection (b).
(b) Regionally or Nationally Significant Greenway Paths.--In
carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall
establish a national greenway paths network. The national greenway
paths network shall contain regionally or nationally significant
greenway paths designated by the Secretary that--
(1) cross multiple local jurisdictions or State lines;
(2) reduce congestion and single-occupant vehicle trips,
improve safety and access to jobs, and lower emissions for
criteria pollutants (NOx, VOC, PM) and greenhouse gases;
(3) support community goals and objectives in areas covered
by metropolitan planning organizations; or
(4) meet any other criteria the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(c) Application.--
(1) In general.--To receive a grant under this section, an
eligible organization shall submit to the Secretary an
application in such manner and containing such information as
the Secretary may require.
(2) Eligible projects partially on federal land.--With
respect to an application for eligible greenway projects that
are located in part on Federal lands, an eligible organization
shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the appropriate
Federal agency with jurisdiction over such land to be eligible
for a grant under this section.
(d) Application Considerations.--In making a grant for construction
of a greenway path under this section, the Secretary shall consider the
following:
(1) Whether the proposed eligible greenway project is
likely to provide substantial additional opportunities for
walking and bicycling, including by--
(A) creating greenway paths connecting multiple
communities, counties, metropolitan regions, or States;
(B) integrating greenway paths with transit
services, where available, to improve access to public
transportation; and
(C) integrating greenway paths with existing parks,
recreation or scenic areas, adjacent waterways, or
transportation corridors.
(2) Whether the eligible organization proposing a project
demonstrates broad community support through--
(A) prior public input in the development of a plan
for the proposed project; and
(B) the commitment of any project sponsors and
community leaders, including elected officials in the
jurisdiction in which such project is located, partner
organization leaders, and private or nongovernmental
organizations in the area in which such project is
located, to the success and timely implementation of an
eligible greenway project.
(3) The extent to which the eligible organization provides
evidence of commitment to traffic safety, regulations,
financial incentives, or community design policies that
facilitate significant increases in walking and bicycling.
(4) The extent to which the eligible organization
demonstrates commitment of State, local, or eligible Federal
matching funds, and land or in-kind contributions, in addition
to the local match required under subsection (g)(1), unless the
applicant qualifies for an exception under subsection (g)(2).
(5) The extent to which the eligible organization
demonstrates that the grant will address existing disparities
in bicyclist and pedestrian fatality rates based on race or
income level or provide access to schools, jobs, services,
transit, or recreational opportunities for low-income
communities and communities of color.
(6) Whether the eligible organization demonstrates how
investment in active transportation will advance safety for
pedestrians and cyclists, accessibility to schools, jobs and
transit, accessibility to national, State, or local parks,
economic competitiveness, environmental protection, and quality
of life.
(e) Use of Funds.--
(1) Planning and design grants.--Each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall set aside not less than $3,000,000 from the
funds made available to carry out this section to provide
planning grants for eligible organizations to develop a local
or regional greenways and paths plan.
(2) Administrative costs.--Each fiscal year, the Secretary
shall set aside not more than $2,000,000 of the funds made
available to carry out this section to cover the costs of
administration, research, technical assistance, communications,
and training activities under the program.
(f) Grant Timing.--
(1) Request for application.--Not later than 30 days after
funds are made available to carry out this section, the
Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a request for
applications for grants under this section.
(2) Selection of grant recipients.--Not later than 150 days
after funds are made available to carry out this section, the
Secretary shall select grant recipients for grants under this
section.
(g) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Federal share of the cost of a project under this section shall
not exceed 80 percent of the total project cost.
(2) Exceptions.--
(A) Disadvantage communities.--For projects serving
communities with a poverty rate of over 40 percent
based on the majority of census tracts served by such
project, the Secretary may increase the Federal share
of the cost of a project under this section to 100
percent of the total project cost.
(B) Rural areas.--For projects serving rural areas,
as such term is defined in section 101 of title 23,
United States Code, the Federal share of the cost of a
project under this section shall be 90 percent of the
total project cost.
(h) Reports.--
(1) Interim report.--Not later than September 30, 2023, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the
information described in paragraph (3).
(2) Final report.--Not later than September 30, 2025, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the
information described in paragraph (3).
(3) Report information.--A report submitted under this
subsection shall contain the following:
(A) A list of grants made under this section.
(B) Best practices of recipients in implementing
projects funded under this section.
(C) Impediments experienced by recipients of grants
under this section in planning for and delivering
projects under this section.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit
Account) $250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to
carry out this section.
(j) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Active transportation.--The term ``active
transportation'' means alternative methods of transportation to
motor vehicles, including walking, bicyling, or utilizing
assistive mobility or micro mobility devices.
(2) Greenway path.--The term ``greenway path'' means a
hard-surfaced or wheelchair-accessible facility built for
active transportation, including a sidewalk, bikeway, or
pedestrian path that connects communities, cities, counties,
metropolitan regions, or States.
(3) Community.--The term ``community'' means a geographic
area that is socioeconomically interdependent and may include
rural, suburban, and urban jurisdictions.
(4) Eligible organization.--The term ``eligible
organization'' means--
(A) a local or regional governmental organization,
including a metropolitan planning organization or
regional planning organization or council;
(B) a multi-county special district;
(C) a State;
(D) a multi-State group of governments; and
(E) an Indian Tribe.
(5) Eligible greenway project.--The term ``eligible
greenway project'' means an active transportation project, or
group of projects--
(A) that is designated as a regionally or
nationally significant greenway path under subsection
(b);
(B) within or between a community or group of
communities, at least one of which falls within the
jurisdiction of an eligible organization, which has
submitted an application under this section;
(C) that has--
(i) a total cost of not less than
$15,000,000; or
(ii) with respect to planning and design
grants, planning and design costs of not less
than $100,000;
(D) that construct path segments that close local
or regional network gaps or are located within
underserved areas;
(E) that support an accessible public realm,
connect to public transportation, support opportunities
for economic development, or promote health and safety;
and
(F) that connect communities to public spaces and
parks, enhance ecological connectivity, support land
conservation and access, or support sites for
remediation and restoration.
(6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(8) Total project cost.--The term ``total project cost''
means the sum total of all costs incurred in the development of
a project that are approved by the Secretary as reasonable and
necessary, including--
(A) the cost of acquiring real property;
(B) the cost of site preparation, demolition, and
development;
(C) expenses related to the issuance of bonds or
notes;
(D) fees in connection with the planning,
execution, and financing of the project;
(E) the cost of studies, surveys, plans, permits,
insurance, interest, financing, tax, and assessment
costs;
(F) the cost of construction, rehabilitation,
reconstruction, and equipping the project;
(G) the cost of land improvements;
(H) contractor fees;
(I) the cost of training and education related to
the safety of users of any greenway path constructed as
part of an eligible greenway project; and
(J) any other cost that the Secretary determines is
necessary and reasonable.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
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