I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1863 

To establish a grant program to fund the installation of green roof systems 

on public school buildings, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2021 

Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. JONES, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, and Ms. JACKSON

LEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To establish a grant program to fund the installation of 

green roof systems on public school buildings, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public School Green 

5 Rooftop Program’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Green roofs on educational facilities can 

9 provide an easily accessible site to teach students 


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1 and visitors about biology, math, STEM, art, sus2 tainability, green roof technology, and the benefits of 

3 green roofs. 

4 (2) The Environmental Protection Agency rec5 ognizes the installation of green roofs throughout a 

6 city can help reduce surface urban heat islands and 

7 cool the air. 

8 (3) The General Services Administration recog9 nizes a typical green roof lasts more than 40 years 

10 before requiring replacement, whereas the life of an 

11 unvegetated conventional roof could be 10 to 15 

12 years. By making the roof membranes last longer, 

13 green roofs can save taxpayer money and reduce the 

14 amount of waste that is diverted into landfills. 

15 (4) The National Park Service recognizes green 

16 roofs can improve the energy performance of build17 ings, help manage stormwater, reduce airborne emis18 sions, and mitigate the effects of urban heat islands. 

19 (5) The Food and Agriculture Organization of 

20 the United Nations encourages and supports coun21 tries to promote school gardens with educational 

22 goals to help students, school staff, and families 

23 make the connection between growing food and good 

24 diets, develop life skills, and increase environmental 

25 awareness. 


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1 (6) Greater weatherization and insulation of2 fered by green roof assemblies reduce the amount of 

3 energy needed to moderate the temperature of a 

4 building, as roofs can be the source of the greatest 

5 heat loss in the winter and the hottest temperatures 

6 in the summer. 

7 (7) A green roof can protect waterproofing 

8 membranes from exposure to ultraviolet radiation 

9 and wide temperature fluctuations. This protection 

10 feature can greatly extend the lifespan and cost ef11 fectiveness of waterproofing membranes. 

12 (8) Green roofs can contribute to landfill diver13 sion by prolonging the life cycle of waterproofing 

14 membranes and insulation materials. By increasing 

15 the life cycle and reducing roof replacement costs, 

16 less roofing materials over the life of the building 

17 need to be disposed of. Green roofs generate the 

18 need for recycled components in growing media. 

19 Green roofs can prolong the service life of heating, 

20 ventilation, and HVAC systems through decreased 

21 use. 

22 (9) Green roofs can reduce the amount of 

23 stormwater runoff and also delay the time at which 

24 runoff occurs, resulting in decreased stress on sewer 


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1 systems and streams at peak flow periods and de2 creased pollution in United States waterways. 

3 (10) The plants on green roofs can capture air4 borne pollutants, atmospheric deposition, and can 

5 filter noxious gases, as well as provide habitat for 

6 and habitat connectivity for local species of polli7 nators. 

8 (11) Green roofs can provide much needed ad9 ditional greenspaces to urban centers. These 

10 greenspaces can create new habitats for a wide vari11 ety of plants, animals, and insects needed for 

12 healthy biosystems. 

13 (12) Green roofs can provide much needed 

14 greenspaces for healthy human habitation of dense 

15 urban spaces. Green roofs can be used for passive 

16 and active recreation and relaxation spaces for hu17 mans. 

18 (13) Green roofs can generate potential employ19 ment for green roof installation and maintenance 

20 personnel. Specialized green roof installations can 

21 generate income and employment for urban farm op22 erations. 

23 (14) The temperature moderating effects of 

24 green roofs can reduce demand for electrical power 

25 and other energy and fuel sources, and potentially 


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1 decrease the amount of CO2 and other polluting by2 products being released into the air. 

3 (15) Through natural transpiration, plants on 

4 vertical and horizontal surfaces are able to cool cities 

5 during hot summer months and reduce the urban 

6 heat island effect. 

7 (16) Green roofs plants can capture dust and 

8 particulate matter throughout cities, as well as the 

9 production of smog. This can play a role in reducing 

10 greenhouse gas emissions and adapting urban areas 

11 to a future climate with warmer summers. 

12 (17) Green roofs improve human health and 

13 wellbeing through improvement of local air quality, 

14 regulation of temperature, and sequestration of 

15 harmful airborne substances, particularly among 

16 children and other vulnerable or at-risk commu17 nities. 

18 (18) Green roofs on public infrastructure pro19 vide cost-savings for the life of the project, through 

20 defraying future replacement and energy costs. 

21 (19) Green roofs contribute to the stabilization 

22 of neighborhoods as a result of improved health, sce23 nic qualities, and elevated nearby property valuation. 

24 (20) Green roofs provide habitat for wildlife 

25 such as pollinators and migratory birds. 


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1 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR PLANNING ASSISTANCE. 

2 (a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary, 

3 taking into account recommendations from the Director 

4 of the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs 

5 Office of the Department of Energy, shall make grants 

6 to eligible entities to pay the costs of planning assistance 

7 for a green roof system described in subsection (b). 

8 (b) ALLOWABLE USE OF FUNDS FOR GRANTS FOR

9 PLANNING ASSISTANCE.—An eligible entity receiving a 

10 grant under this section shall use the grant for the fol11 lowing purposes: 

12 (1) Identification of opportunities to use green 

13 roofs. 

14 (2) Assessment of vertical structures, or pos15 sible vertical structures, to support vegetation and 

16 ground-level areas that support vegetation in the 

17 same school building. 

18 (3) Permitting and siting issues, including po19 tential synergy of the green roof with green roofs, 

20 green walls, and rain gardens in neighboring build21 ings. 

22 (4) Business planning and financial analysis. 

23 (5) Architectural and engineering analysis, in24 cluding analysis of— 

25 (A) a site to determine required structural 

26 loading capacity; 


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1 (B) plans for material transportation to 

2 roof; 

3 (C) the distribution of material and equip4 ment during construction; 

5 (D) plans for reinforcement of roof; 

6 (E) plans for structural safety; 

7 (F) plans to increase available loading; 

8 (G) plans to determine need and location 

9 of vegetation-free zones for access to mechan10 ical equipment, roof parapets, and other com11 mon roof structures; 

12 (H) plans for need for permanent or semi13 permanent irrigation systems to provide supple14 mental water during times of drought; and 

15 (I) plans to determine need for a leak de16 tection system. 

17 (6) Cost estimation, including— 

18 (A) technical information on the cost of 

19 construction (market prices, labor, materials, 

20 and transportation); 

21 (B) a life cycle cost analysis; 

22 (C) an estimate of operational costs; and 

23 (D) an estimate of costs to include rec24 reational space in order to meet the requireVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:15 May 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1863.IH H1863

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1 ments of title III of the Americans with Disabil2 ities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq). 

3 (7) Grant writing services, including reimburse4 ment for grant writing services used to obtain a 

5 grant under this section. 

6 (c) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant under this sec7 tion, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an 

8 application at such time, in such manner, and containing 

9 such information as the Secretary may require. 

10 SEC. 4. PUBLIC SCHOOL GREEN ROOF INSTALLATION 

11 GRANT PROGRAM. 

12 (a) PUBLIC SCHOOL GREEN ROOF INSTALLATION

13 PROGRAM.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 

14 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award grants, 

15 on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to install an ex16 tensive or intensive green roof system. 

17 (b) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant under sub18 section (a), an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 

19 an application at such time, in such manner, and con20 taining such information as the Secretary may require, 

21 which shall include— 

22 (1) a letter of compliance from local regulatory 

23 bodies to— 


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1 (A) certify a complete review of proposed 

2 design to ensure that it meets municipal re3 quirements; 

4 (B) ensure that installation is carried out 

5 in accordance with local standards and incentive 

6 program performance requirements (if avail7 able); 

8 (C) determine requirements for issuing 

9 permits; 

10 (D) determine occupancy requirements for 

11 fire codes; and 

12 (E) ensure projects meet the minimum 

13 performance standard specified within the Liv14 ing Architecture Performance Tool (LAPT) rat15 ing system for green roofs and walls; 

16 (2) a complete description of the eligible enti17 ty’s plans for reinforcement of its roof to withstand 

18 a green roof, if needed; 

19 (3) a complete description of the eligible enti20 ty’s plan for the installation and operation of a 

21 green roof system, including descriptions of— 

22 (A) the square footage of the proposed 

23 vegetated area and anticipated soil depth; 

24 (B) the hiring criteria and qualifications 

25 for green roof installation and maintenance perVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:15 May 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1863.IH H1863

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1 sonnel with the inclusion of local workforce 

2 trainees, including at least one Green Roof Pro3 fessional (GRP) as accredited by the Green 

4 Roof Industry Association; 

5 (C) the methods for the green roof installa6 tion and maintenance; 

7 (D) a plan for utilization of the green roof, 

8 including weatherization, recreational space, 

9 education, food production, or whether access 

10 and utilization will be extended to members of 

11 the neighborhood; 

12 (E) a plan for intensive green roof applica13 tions that include recreational space use to 

14 meet the requirements of title III of the Ameri15 cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 

16 12101 et seq); 

17 (F) a strategy for increasing energy effi18 ciency and reducing heat reflection; and 

19 (G) a plan for hiring low-income individ20 uals or individuals registered with a one-stop 

21 center for installation and maintenance posi22 tions; and 

23 (4) the eligible entity’s maintenance plan; and 

24 (c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under subsection 

25 (a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities in 


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1 which not fewer than 30 percent of students served by 

2 such entities are from families with incomes below the pov3 erty line. 

4 (d) INSTALLATION.—Not later than 4 years after re5 ceiving a grant under subsection (a), an eligible entity 

6 shall complete installation of a green roof system. 

7 (e) MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE.—In addi8 tion to receiving a grant under subsection (a), each eligible 

9 entity that meets the installation requirements of sub10 section (d) shall receive additional funding for an addi11 tional 4-year period for maintenance activities, which may 

12 include the following: 

13 (1) Conducting routine inspections throughout 

14 the year to monitor the condition of the green roof 

15 and surrounding roof areas and structures, espe16 cially after storm events. 

17 (2) Monitoring plant health and replacing any 

18 plants, as necessary. 

19 (3) Noting any areas impacted by rooftop 

20 microclimates (including wind erosion, shady spots, 

21 exhaust vents, drip edges, and intense reflected 

22 light) where replanting may not be successful, and 

23 alternate planting types, planting techniques, or an 

24 alternate approach may be necessary. 


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1 (4) Watering nonirrigated systems during pro2 longed drought periods and maintenance of any irri3 gation system for the green roof. 

4 (5) Addressing weeds and pests when needed 

5 using organic, essential-oils based products. 

6 (6) For intensive green roofs where more highly 

7 diverse plant groups and types are used, ensuring 

8 plant maintenance and care is generally consistent 

9 with the requirements of ground-level landscaping, 

10 including consultation with a horticulturalist, agron11 omist, or landscape professional. 

12 (7) Engaging local workforce trainees. 

13 SEC. 5. REPORT TO THE CONGRESS. 

14 Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 

15 of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the 

16 Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 

17 Representatives, the Committee on Education and Labor 

18 of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 

19 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, 

20 and make publically available on the Internet website of 

21 the Department of Energy, a report describing— 

22 (1) each grant application received under this 

23 Act; and 

24 (2) any grants awarded under this Act, includ25 ing— 


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1 (A) the name and location of the eligible 

2 entity; 

3 (B) the total amount of the grant; 

4 (C) the date on which the grant was 

5 awarded; 

6 (D) the square footage of vegetated area, 

7 soil depth, and soil porosity of media of each 

8 public school green roof funded with the grant; 

9 and 

10 (E) any other data the Secretary deter11 mines to be necessary for an evaluation of the 

12 benefits of a public school green roof. 

13 SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen16 tary school’’ has the meaning given the term in sec17 tion 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu18 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), except that 

19 such section shall be applied as if the term ‘‘State’’, 

20 as it appears in such section, had the meaning given 

21 such term in this section. 

22 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti23 ty’’ means— 

24 (A) a public elementary school or sec25 ondary school; 


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1 (B) a local educational agency; or 

2 (C) a partnership between a nonprofit or3 ganization and an entity described in para4 graphs (1) or (2). 

5 (3) GREEN ROOF.—The term ‘‘green roof’’ 

6 means a layer of vegetation planted over a water7 proofing system or waterproof management practice 

8 that is installed on top of a flat or slightly–sloped 

9 roof that may support plant growth, including— 

10 (A) an extensive green roof with a growing 

11 media layer that is up to 6 inches thick; or 

12 (B) an intensive green roof with a growing 

13 media layer that is 6.0 to 48 inches thick. 

14 (4) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 

15 has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 

16 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 

17 Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

18 (5) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 

19 ‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 

20 the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec21 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), ex22 cept that such section shall be applied as if the term 

23 ‘‘State’’, as it appears in such section, had the 

24 meaning given such term in this section. 


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1 (6) LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘low2 income individual’’ means, with respect to any cal3 endar year, any individual who lives in a household 

4 that has a gross income that does not exceed 300 

5 percent of the poverty line. 

6 (7) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—The term 

7 ‘‘nonprofit organization’’ means an organization de8 scribed in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 

9 Code of 1986 which is exempt from taxation under 

10 section 501(a) of such Code. 

11 (8) ONE-STOP CENTER.—The term ‘‘one-stop 

12 center’’ has the meaning given such term in section 

13 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

14 (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

15 (9) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘‘poverty line’’ 

16 has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of 

17 the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 

18 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

19 (10) SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec20 ondary school’’ has the meaning given the term in 

21 section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu22 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), except that 

23 such section shall be applied as if the term ‘‘State’’, 

24 as it appears in such section, had the meaning given 

25 such term in this section. 


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1 (11) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ 

2 means the Secretary of Energy. 

3 (12) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 

4 the 50 States and the District of Columbia, each of 

5 the territories, and each of the Indian tribes. 

6 (13) TERRITORY.—The term ‘‘territory’’ means 

7 the United States Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, 

8 Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of 

9 the Northern Mariana Islands. 

10 (14) WEATHERIZATION.—The term ‘‘weather11 ization’’ means the practice of protecting a building 

12 and its interior from the elements, particularly from 

13 sunlight, precipitation, and wind, and of modifying 

14 a building to reduce energy consumption and opti15 mize energy efficiency. 

16 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

17 (a) APPROPRIATION FOR GRANTS FOR PLANNING AS18 SISTANCE.—There is authorized to be appropriated 

19 $100,000,000 to carry out section 3 for each of fiscal 

20 years 2022 through 2026. 

21 (b) APPROPRIATION FOR GREEN ROOF INSTALLA22 TION.—There is authorized to be appropriated 

23 $300,000,000 to award grants under section 4(a) for each 

24 of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 


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1 (c) APPROPRIATION FOR MAINTENANCE OF INFRA2 STRUCTURE.—There is authorized to be appropriated 

3 $100,000,000 to provide funds under section 4(e) for each 

4 of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 

Æ 


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