To promote green transportation infrastructure through research and development, and for other purposes.

Summary: Promoting Green Transportation Infrastructure through Research and Development Act - Moves the Office of Climate Change and Environment into the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and requires it to coordinate research, development, and technology transfer activities: (1) that focus on transportation-related emissions and energy reduction strategies, and (2) on the impacts of climate change on surface transportation infrastructure.

Revises the surface transportation, research, development, and technology program to direct the Administrator of RITA to make grants to institutions of higher education (including consortia) to establish regional university transportation centers (UTCs) to carry out research, development, and technology transfer activities in the field of green transportation infrastructure (i.e., infrastructure that preserves and restores natural processes, utilizes natural design techniques, and minimizes energy consumption and pollution).

Directs the Administrator to establish a pavement research, deployment, and education program.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Green Transportation 
Infrastructure through Research and Development Act''.

SEC. 2. OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT.

    Section 102(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
        (A), by striking ``Department'' and inserting ``Research and 
        Innovative Technology Administration in the Department'';
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (7);
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(2) Impact reduction research activities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Office established under 
                paragraph (1) shall fund or coordinate research, 
                development, and technology transfer activities focused 
                on--
                            ``(i) reducing vehicle miles traveled;
                            ``(ii) reducing congestion;
                            ``(iii) reducing construction and 
                        maintenance-related emissions and energy 
                        consumption; and
                            ``(iv) in coordination with the 
                        Environmental Protection Agency and the 
                        Department of Energy, assessing consumer 
                        acceptance of and infrastructure needs for 
                        alternative fuels and improved vehicle 
                        technology and other strategies to reduce 
                        greenhouse gas emissions and conserve energy 
                        arising from surface transportation 
                        infrastructure, operation, and use.
                    ``(B) Activities.--Research activities shall 
                include the following:
                            ``(i) Assessments of the impact, cost-
                        effectiveness, and collateral benefits of 
                        emissions and energy reduction strategies.
                            ``(ii) The development of technologies, 
                        tools, and techniques to reduce emissions and 
                        energy consumption throughout the life-cycle of 
                        transportation infrastructure.
                            ``(iii) Congestion reduction and speed 
                        management strategies.
                            ``(iv) Assessments of the impact of land 
                        use change on surface emissions and other 
                        factors, such as congestion, mobility, and 
                        accessibility, and barriers to land use change.
                            ``(v) Infrastructure requirements for 
                        alternative fuels and vehicles.
                            ``(vi) Traveler behaviors with respect to 
                        mode-choice, response to transportation pricing 
                        scheme, nonmotorized travel, and other 
                        emissions reducing strategies.
                            ``(vii) Emissions and energy reduction 
                        strategies for freight transportation, 
                        including mode shifts, freight infrastructure 
                        projects, and the effects of land use on 
                        freight movement.
            ``(3) Adaptation.--The Office shall fund or coordinate 
        research on the impacts of climate change on surface 
        transportation infrastructure to understand and assess how 
        climate change and variability may affect transportation 
        operation and infrastructure.
            ``(4) Assessment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Office shall assess current 
                and historical surface transportation infrastructure 
                and fuel demand management strategies that have been 
                implemented at the local, State, and national levels 
                for their social, economic, and environmental costs and 
                benefits.
                    ``(B) Public accessibility.--The results of such 
                assessments shall be made publicly available through 
                the Web site of the Research and Innovative Technology 
                Administration in the Department.
            ``(5) Modeling.--The Office, in consultation with the 
        Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal agencies, 
        shall support the development of more accurate tools and models 
        for quantifying mobile emissions and evaluating surface 
        transportation emissions reductions strategies. The tools and 
        models shall incorporate such factors as--
                    ``(A) vehicle speed;
                    ``(B) traffic flow;
                    ``(C) land use;
                    ``(D) nonmotorized travel;
                    ``(E) transit use;
                    ``(F) traveler behavior; and
                    ``(G) commercial traffic and freight movement.
            ``(6) Public accessibility.--The results of the research 
        and development carried out under this subsection shall be made 
        publicly available to national, State, and local transportation 
        planners and decisionmakers.''.

SEC. 3. REGIONAL GREEN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTERS.

    (a) Establishment.--Subchapter I of chapter 55 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 5505 the following 
new section:

``SEC. 5505A. REGIONAL GREEN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTERS.

    ``(a) Green Transportation Infrastructure Research and Technology 
Transfer.--The Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology 
Administration of the Department of Transportation shall make grants to 
institutions of higher education or consortia thereof to establish and 
operate university transportation centers to carry out research, 
development, and technology transfer activities in the field of green 
transportation infrastructure.
    ``(b) Objectives.--The purpose of centers established pursuant to 
this section shall be to--
            ``(1) generate innovative and cost-effective approaches to 
        mitigating environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of 
        transportation infrastructure;
            ``(2) develop holistic approaches to integrating green 
        infrastructure into existing wastewater management systems;
            ``(3) promote adoption of innovative green transportation 
        infrastructure systems by State and local governments and the 
        private sector; and
            ``(4) manage technology transfer programs to disseminate 
        information on best management practices in the area of green 
        transportation infrastructure to State and local governments 
        and the private sector.
    ``(c) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
            ``(1) Applications.--In order to be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this section, a nonprofit institution of higher 
        learning or consortia thereof shall submit to the Administrator 
        an application that is in such form and contains such 
        information as the Administrator may require.
            ``(2) Regional centers.--To the greatest extent 
        practicable, the Administrator shall ensure that there is at 
        least one grant recipient from each of the 10 United States 
        Government regions that comprise the Standard Federal Regional 
        Boundary System.
            ``(3) Selection criteria.--Except as otherwise provided by 
        this section, the Administrator shall select each recipient of 
        a grant under this section through a merit-reviewed competitive 
        process on the basis of the following:
                    ``(A) Demonstrated expertise in transportation 
                research and environmental impacts of transportation 
                infrastructure.
                    ``(B) Demonstrated research capacity and technology 
                transfer resources.
                    ``(C) Existing or proposed partnerships with State 
                and local governments and private industry involved in 
                transportation-related construction, environmental 
                impact mitigation, or other areas related to green 
                transportation infrastructure research.
                    ``(D) Capability to provide leadership in 
                developing national best management practices, regional 
                best management practices, or both in the field of 
                green transportation infrastructure.
                    ``(E) Expertise in specific regional climate 
                characteristics which impact the effectiveness of green 
                transportation infrastructure technologies and 
                practices.
                    ``(F) Demonstrated ability to disseminate results 
                of research and education programs through a statewide 
                or regionwide continuing education program.
                    ``(G) The strategic plan the recipient proposes to 
                carry out under the grant.
    ``(d) Activities.--The types of activities the Administrator may 
support under this section include the following:
            ``(1) Research and development of innovative technologies, 
        construction techniques, or best management processes that 
        mitigate the environmental impact of transportation 
        infrastructure, including--
                    ``(A) assessments of the life-cycle environmental 
                impact of local existing or planned transportation 
                infrastructure;
                    ``(B) integration of green transportation 
                infrastructure elements into existing transportation or 
                waste management systems; and
                    ``(C) research, development, testing, and 
                evaluation of new technologies or best management 
                practices.
            ``(2) Establishment and operation of a regional technology 
        transfer program to disseminate information on new technologies 
        and best management practices to State and local governments, 
        institutions of higher education, and private industry in the 
        region.
            ``(3) Study of the impact of State, local, and Federal 
        regulations on the implementation of green transportation 
        infrastructure technologies and practices. These studies shall 
        include collaboration with appropriate Federal agencies to 
        evaluate the effect of and possible changes to Federal and 
        State regulations that impede implementation of green 
        transportation infrastructure.
            ``(4) Public education efforts to raise awareness of green 
        transportation infrastructure technologies, including 
        activities to raise awareness and foster collaboration among 
        regional governments, private industry, and other public and 
        private stakeholders.
    ``(e) Annual Meeting.--The Administrator shall convene an annual 
meeting of the Centers established pursuant to this section in order to 
foster collaboration and communication among Center participants and 
disseminate best management practices.
    ``(f) Definition.--In this section, the term `green transportation 
infrastructure' includes infrastructure that--
            ``(1) preserves and restores natural processes, landforms 
        (such as flood plains), natural vegetated streamside buffers, 
        wetlands, or other topographical features that can slow, 
        filter, and naturally store stormwater runoff and floodwaters 
        for future water supply and recharge of natural aquifers;
            ``(2) utilizes natural design techniques that infiltrate, 
        filter, store, evaporate, and detain water close to its source;
            ``(3) minimizes the use of impervious surfaces in order to 
        slow or infiltrate precipitation;
            ``(4) minimizes life-cycle energy consumption, including 
        during construction, maintenance, use by vehicles, and 
        destruction and recycling; and
            ``(5) minimizes life-cycle air pollution.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for such 
subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
5505 the following new item:

``5505A. Regional Green Transportation Research Centers.''.

SEC. 4. PAVEMENT RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Research and 
Innovative Technology Administration of the Department of 
Transportation shall, in consultation with appropriate Department modal 
agencies, establish a pavement research, deployment, and education 
program (in this section referred to as the ``Program'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Program shall be to--
            (1) address the need to advance pavement research; and
            (2) coordinate technology transfer efforts related to 
        paving materials.
    (c) Function.--The Program, in coordination with Department modal 
agencies, shall provide funding to university transportation centers 
established under section 5506 of title 49, United States Code, and 
other institutions of higher education to conduct research, 
development, and technology transfer activities about paving materials 
and practices.
    (d) Activities.--Activities carried out by the Program shall 
include--
            (1) research and development of innovative technologies and 
        techniques to reduce the cost and environmental impact of 
        paving materials and practices, including research on--
                    (A) paving materials with improved durability;
                    (B) methods that decrease the energy use in, and 
                emissions resulting from, paving practices;
                    (C) paving materials that decrease environmental 
                impact;
                    (D) methods to decrease the overall life-cycle cost 
                of paving materials and practices;
                    (E) construction techniques to increase safety and 
                reduce construction time and traffic disruption and 
                congestion;
                    (F) pavement evaluation technologies and 
                techniques; and
                    (G) paving materials utilizing more recycled and 
                locally available natural material;
            (2) effective technology transfer, including efforts on--
                    (A) identifying and addressing barriers to 
                implementation for developed paving materials and 
                practices; and
                    (B) addressing the data needs of stakeholders by 
                developing independent studies and assessments on 
                topics, including--
                            (i) durability of paving technologies;
                            (ii) emissions from construction practices;
                            (iii) life-cycle cost-effectiveness of 
                        paving materials and strategies; and
                            (iv) environmental impact of paving 
                        technologies; and
            (3) establishing grants to institutions of higher education 
        to develop training and education programs for workforce 
        professionals in the areas of paving materials and practices.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the results of 
the long-term pavement performance program and how the Department 
intends to organize, maintain, and utilize the database.