Urban Forests Act of 2021

To provide support for urban forests, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Urban Forests Act of 2021 2. Urban and community forestry assistance (a) Tree City USA Grant Program Section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105 (1) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following; (h) Tree City USA Grant Program (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a grant program to be known as the Tree City USA Grant Program (2) Application (A) In general To be eligible to be awarded a grant under paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a proposal to enhance and maintain urban forests. (B) Application assistance A non-profit organization that partners with an eligible entity may submit an application under subparagraph (A) on behalf of such eligible entity. (3) Priority In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that submit proposals under paragraph (2)(A) that— (A) enhance, maintain, or improve access to urban forests in— (i) typically underserved areas; or (ii) areas with low tree or environmental equity; (B) further a statewide assessment or local government initiative to enhance and maintain urban forests; (C) include a plan to mitigate risks from insects, disease, and non-native invasive species; and (D) include a plan to monitor and maintain new and existing trees. (4) Technical assistance The Secretary may provide technical assistance to local governments to assist such local governments with— (A) becoming eligible entities; and (B) proposals under paragraph (2)(A). (5) Matching funds An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall contribute an amount of non-Federal funds (in cash or in kind) that is at least equal to the amount of the Federal funds received. (6) Premier tree city Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Urban Forests Act of 2021, and annually through 2030 thereafter, the Secretary shall designate as a Premier Tree City (7) Authorization of appropriations In addition to the amounts authorized under subsection (k), there are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2030 to carry out this subsection. (8) Eligible entity defined In this subsection, the term eligible entity (A) serves an urban and community area; and (B) a tree planting non-profit organization recognizes as having— (i) a tree board or department; (ii) a tree care ordinance; (iii) a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita; and (iv) an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. . (b) Cooperative agreements for urban wood utilization Section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105 (i) Pilot project for cooperative agreements for urban wood utilization (1) Cooperative agreements The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with State and local governments, institutions of higher education, private or non-profit organizations, and other entities that support projects that create wood products from dead and fallen trees in urban and community areas. (2) Prioritization The Secretary shall prioritize entering into cooperative agreements that— (A) support local job creation; (B) are located in typically underserved areas or areas with low tree or environmental equity; (C) develop new uses for dead and fallen trees; and (D) improve urban forest health and resiliency. (3) Technical and financial assistance The Secretary may provide technical or financial assistance to entities that enter into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) to facilitate— (A) research on new uses for dead and fallen trees in urban and community areas; and (B) market expansion opportunities for products made from dead and fallen trees in urban and community areas. (4) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Urban Forests Act of 2021, the Secretary shall provide a report to the relevant committees on— (A) the implementation of this subsection; and (B) recommendations to encourage economic development and job creation by creating new markets for wood products made from urban timber sources. (5) Definitions In this subsection— (A) Dead and fallen trees The term dead and fallen trees (i) are dying or have died; (ii) have partially or completely fallen over; or (iii) have been negatively impacted by insects, disease, or weather-related disturbances. (B) Relevant committees The term relevant committees (i) the Committees on Natural Resources and Agriculture of the House of Representatives; and (ii) the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. . (c) Program of education and technical assistance clarification for carbon storage Section 9(d)(3) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105(d)(3) (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking and (2) in subparagraph (D), by inserting and (3) by inserting at the end the following new subparagraph: (E) identifying opportunities to increase carbon storage through afforestation and scientific urban and community forestry management; . (d) National urban and community forestry advisory council Section 9(g) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105(g) (1) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (F) Meetings The Council established under this subsection shall meet not less than twice annually. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (7) Renewal of council (A) In general Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of the Urban Forests Act of 2021, the Secretary shall renew the Council. (B) Termination The Council shall not terminate except as provided by an Act of Congress. . (e) Urban and community forestry action plan clarification for carbon storage Section 9(g)(3) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105(g)(3) (G) Recommendations for identifying opportunities to increase carbon storage through afforestation and scientific urban and community forestry management. . (f) Authorization of appropriations Subsection (k) of section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105 (1) by striking $30,000,000 $50,000,000 (2) by striking fiscal years 1991 through 1995 fiscal years 2021 through 2025 3. Civilian Conservation Center urban forestry demonstration program Section 147(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3197(d) (4) Urban forestry (A) Establishment Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Labor shall jointly establish Civilian Conservation Centers in urban and community areas (as defined in subsection (j) of section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105 (B) Focus In addition to the training and skills required under paragraph (1), the Civilian Conservation Centers established pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall provide training on urban forestry issues, including urban forest conservation, management, maintenance, and monitoring. . 4. Forest inventory 5-year reports Section 3(e)(3) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 1642(e)(3) (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking and (2) in subparagraph (C)— (A) by inserting , including forest carbon over the previous (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (D) demonstrates the efforts taken by the Forest Service to— (i) conduct a strategic national forest inventory by measuring a statistically designed consistent historical series of field plots in combination with advanced technology to improve data, information, and estimates of precision; and (ii) use advanced geospatial technologies to improve the area and volume estimates described in clause (i), especially for sub-State regions and smaller areas. . 5. Memorandum of understanding to coordinate urban forestry programs Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, and Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to— (1) identify strategies to increase equitable access to urban forests through existing programs and authorities; (2) coordinate existing urban forestry programs; (3) conduct research on the benefits of urban forests for air quality, heat island mitigation, energy burden reduction, and enhanced shading for heat-resilient housing and active transit; and (4) conduct research on improving coordination between the agencies to address insects, disease, and non-native invasive species in urban and community areas.

Summary: Urban Forests Act of 2021 This bill provides for support to maintain urban forests. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall establish a grant program to be known as the Tree City USA Grant Program to provide competitive grants to qualifying local governments to enhance and maintain urban forests. USDA and the Department of Labor shall jointly establish Civilian Conservation Centers in urban and community areas. A specified five-year report on state forests and their resources shall contain an analysis of forest carbon over the previous two decades. Such report shall demonstrate the efforts taken by the Forest Service to conduct a strategic national forest inventory by measuring field plots in combination with advanced technology to improve data, information, and estimates of precision; and use advanced geospatial technologies to improve the area and volume estimates of those field plots, especially for sub-state regions and smaller areas. USDA shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor, and Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency to identify strategies to increase equitable access to urban forests through existing programs and authorities; and conduct research on the benefits of urban forests for air quality, heat island mitigation, energy burden reduction, and enhanced shading for heat-resilient housing and active transit.