To establish national centers of excellence for regional smart growth planning, and for other purposes.

Summary: National Centers of Excellence for Regional Smart Growth Planning Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) designate not fewer than three national centers of excellence for regional smart growth planning, selected from metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) that have demonstrated regional planning excellence; (2) develop guidelines for the designation and operation of the Centers; and (3) allocate specified funds to each Center to carry out this Act.

Authorizes the Administrator to make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for: (1) improving the collection of data and the development of models for smart growth planning; (2) implementing comprehensive regional smart growth planning programs; (3) applying planning outcomes in regional transportation plans; and (4) working with local governments to coordinate land use, transportation, and air quality planning.

Directs the Centers to: (1) collect and distribute to MPOs information and best practices about regional smart growth planning; (2) make research and development recommendations to EPA and other entities to improve the quality and ease of smart growth analysis; (3) work with institutions of higher education and state and federal agencies to improve smart growth analysis; and (4) provide technical assistance to grant recipients.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Centers of Excellence for 
Regional Smart Growth Planning Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR REGIONAL SMART GROWTH 
              PLANNING.

    (a) Designation and Selection of National Centers of Excellence.--
In accordance with the requirements of this Act, the Administrator 
shall designate not fewer than 3 national centers of excellence for 
regional smart growth planning, selected from metropolitan planning 
organizations that have demonstrated regional planning excellence by--
            (1) developing and using state-of-the-art data and modeling 
        tools that accurately estimate travel, air pollution, 
        greenhouse gas emissions, and other impacts from regional land 
        use patterns and transportation systems;
            (2) engaging a broad range of citizens and stakeholders in 
        regional planning in an interactive or innovative manner;
            (3) forming political consensus through regional 
        transportation plans that predict significant improvements in 
        future travel patterns, air emissions, and other impacts 
        compared to baseline projections;
            (4) showing significant changes to land use patterns and 
        transportation systems that conform with regional 
        transportation plans;
            (5) maintaining effective partnerships with local, State, 
        and Federal agencies working on regional smart growth planning; 
        and
            (6) providing expert technical assistance.
    (b) Guidelines.--The Administrator shall develop guidelines for the 
designation and operation of the Centers.
    (c) Funding.--Of the amounts available to carry out this Act, the 
Administrator shall allocate not more than $5,000,000 for each fiscal 
year to each Center to carry out this section.
    (d) General Operation.--The Centers shall--
            (1) collect information and best practices about--
                    (A) regional smart growth planning;
                    (B) street design and implementation of complete 
                streets policy by local governments;
                    (C) transit-oriented, mixed-use, and infl. 
                development;
                    (D) use of data, models, and performance metrics to 
                develop smart growth plans;
                    (E) needed upgrades to models from MPOs; and
                    (F) effective civic engagement in regional smart 
                growth planning;
            (2) distribute smart growth planning information and best 
        practices to MPOs that are seeking to--
                    (A) upgrade data, models, and performance metrics;
                    (B) achieve greenhouse gas reductions in regional 
                transportation plans; or
                    (C) work effectively with units of local government 
                to coordinate regional planning and economic 
                development plans;
            (3) make research and development recommendations to the 
        Environmental Protection Agency and other appropriate entities 
        to further improve the quality and ease of smart growth 
        analysis;
            (4) work with appropriate institutions of higher education 
        and State and Federal agencies to further improve smart growth 
        analysis; and
            (5) provide technical assistance to grant recipients under 
        section 3.

SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.

    (a) Grant Authority.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Centers, may make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities 
for--
            (1) improving the collection of data and the development of 
        models for smart growth planning;
            (2) implementing comprehensive regional smart growth 
        planning programs;
            (3) applying planning outcomes in regional transportation 
        plans; and
            (4) working with units of local governments to coordinate 
        land use, transportation, and air quality planning.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Administrator an 
        application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information and assurances as the Administrator may require.
            (2) Eligibility requirements.--An entity is eligible to 
        receive a grant under this section only if such entity--
                    (A) is an MPO;
                    (B) commits to use funds to develop and maintain a 
                regional database that contains high quality data and 
                modeling capability;
                    (C) agrees to make a good-faith effort to produce 
                and adopt plans that use the latest available estimates 
                and assumptions for population, land use, travel, 
                employment, congestion, and economic activity;
                    (D) provides long-term guidance to the public to 
                minimize greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehicle 
                miles traveled, offering more housing choices within 
                existing urban centers, and incorporating new housing 
                and employment close to existing public transportation 
                options; and
                    (E) has a demonstrated record of working 
                effectively with the units of local government within 
                the region.
    (c) Matching Requirements.--
            (1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
        project under this section shall be 80 percent.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
        of carrying out a project under this section may be provided 
        through an in-kind contribution.
    (d) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the end of the grant 
period for which an MPO receives a grant under this section, such MPO 
shall submit a report to the Administrator regarding the use of such 
grant.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Center.--The term ``Center'' means a national center of 
        excellence for regional smart growth planning designated under 
        section 2(a).
            (3) Complete streets policy.--The term ``complete streets 
        policy'' means a transportation law or policy at the local, 
        State, regional, or Federal level that ensures--
                    (A) the adequate accommodation, in all phases of 
                project planning and development, of all users of the 
                transportation system, including pedestrians, 
                bicyclists, public transit users, children, older 
                individuals, motorists, and individuals with 
                disabilities; and
                    (B) the consideration of the safety and convenience 
                of all users in all phases of project planning and 
                development.
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (5) Metropolitan planning organization.--The term 
        ``metropolitan planning organization'' or ``MPO'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 134(b)(2) of title 23, 
        United States Code.
            (6) Smart growth.--The term ``smart growth'' means policies 
        regarding growth and development that--
                    (A) recognize the effects of new growth and 
                development, including the environmental, economic, and 
                social costs, such as--
                            (i) loss of open space, farmland, rural 
                        landscapes, wildlife, or natural, cultural, 
                        scenic, or recreational resources; or
                            (ii) high public costs for infrastructure, 
                        public facilities, or transportation that lead 
                        to disinvestment in older urban or suburban 
                        areas; and
                    (B) attempt to mitigate such effects in advance so 
                as to avoid or reduce the negative impacts of such 
                effects.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to 
carry out this Act $65,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 
2015.