I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1931 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Ground-
work USA national office, to provide grants to certain nonprofit organiza-
tions. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2011 
Ms. TSONGAS (for herself, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, and Mr. OLVER) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committees on Natural Resources and Financial Services, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation 
with the Groundwork USA national office, to provide 
grants to certain nonprofit organizations. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Groundwork USA 
Trust Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
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(1) locally organized and controlled entities that 
are linked together through a national program of-
fice have the ability to lead cost-effective projects 
and programs that are responsive to community 
needs and essential to improving the local environ-
ment, economy, and quality of life; 
(2) local community involvement with how land 
is being used is an essential component to the eco-
nomic success of a neighborhood; 
(3) underutilized and neglected vacant lands 
significantly erode nearby property values and bur-
den municipal tax bases; 
(4) landscaping and maintenance, especially 
when local citizens are involved in the process, de-
creases negative stigma and generates civic pride, 
which in turn significantly reduces vandalism and il-
licit activities typically associated with idle lands; 
(5) cleaning, landscaping, and tree planting 
within vacant and abandoned land and brownfields 
adds economic value to a community through in-
creased occupancy rates, and improved sales appeal 
of nearby residential and commercial real estate; and 
(6) the transformation of idle lands and 
brownfields into cleaner, greener, community assets 
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has been exemplified by a network of federally 
backed Groundwork USA Trusts for over 8 years. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
BROWNFIELDS.—The 
term 
brownfields 
means real property, the expansion, redevelopment, 
or reuse of which may be complicated by the pres-
ence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, 
pollutant, or contaminant. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION.—The term eligi-
ble organization means a— 
(A) nonprofit organization that applies for 
a grant award under section 4(b) to establish a 
Ground USA Trust; and 
(B) Groundwork USA Trust. 
(3) GROUNDWORK
USA
NATIONAL
OFFICE.— 
The term Groundwork USA national office means 
the independent, nonprofit, environmental business 
incorporated under the laws of the State of New 
York, which overseas and creates a link between 
local Groundwork USA Trust offices. 
(4) GROUNDWORK
USA
TRUST.—The term 
Groundwork USA Trust means an independent, 
nonprofit, environmental organization that works 
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with communities to improve their environment, 
economy, and quality of life through local action. 
(5) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
nonprofit organization means an organization that is 
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 and is exempt from tax under 
section 501(a) of such Code. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term Secretary means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF GROUNDWORK USA TRUST 
PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF GRANT PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary, in consultation with the Groundwork USA na-
tional office, is authorized to award grants to eligible orga-
nizations. 
(b) APPLICATION.—An eligible organization desiring 
a grant under the program shall submit an application to 
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Groundwork USA national office, may require. 
SEC. 5. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION. 
Each grant award provided under section 4(a) shall 
be made on the basis of the quality of the application sub-
mitted, taking into consideration such factors as the fol-
lowing: 
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(1) The population and demographics of the 
community and the environmental, community, or 
economic development issues which an eligible entity 
could help address. 
(2) The level of experience with community and 
environmental improvement activities of an eligible 
organization and the role such organization will play 
in the implementation of Groundwork USA Trust 
activities. 
(3) The level in which the community or local 
government in which the eligible organization is 
based is a current or past recipient of funding or as-
sistance from the EPA Brownfields Program and 
demonstrated success in those efforts. 
(4) The level in which the eligible organization 
has partnered with the National Park Service and 
demonstrated success in those efforts. 
(5) The level of community interest and com-
mitment to learn about, evaluate, and partner with 
a Groundwork USA Trust. 
(6) The number and level of opportunities to 
improve the local environment for conservation, 
recreation, and economic development, including: 
(A) The potential to facilitate the creation, 
improvement, and stewardship of parks, green-
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ways, open space, and nature reserves and in-
crease opportunities for recreation, conserva-
tion, food security, environmental education, 
and other environmental improvements in com-
munities impacted by brownfields. 
(B) The potential to stimulate economic 
and environmental rejuvenation of communities 
impacted by brownfield issues. 
(C) The potential to increase the capacity 
of communities with limited means to improve 
their environment, economy, and quality of life. 
(D) The potential to engage the local com-
munity in the planning and development of 
projects and programs to improve its local envi-
ronment, including the assessment, cleanup, 
and reuse of brownfield sites for parks, recre-
ation facilities, nature areas, gardens, trails, 
and other community benefits. 
(E) The potential to contribute to the use 
or reuse of existing infrastructure. 
(7) The ability to address the issue of 
brownfields in the community or target area, includ-
ing: 
(A) The potential to leverage or stimulate 
funds from other sources to support the assess-
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ment and remediation of brownfields and their 
reuse for parks, recreation facilities, nature 
areas, and other community benefits. 
(B) The potential to engage the local com-
munity in the planning and implementation of 
projects and programs to assess, cleanup, and 
reuse brownfields for parks, recreation facilities, 
nature areas, and other community benefits. 
(C) The potential to help reduce the 
threats to human health and the local environ-
ment associated with the presence of hazardous 
substances, pollutants, or contaminants. 
(D) The potential to help address or facili-
tate the identification and reduction of threats 
to the health and welfare of populations at risk. 
SEC. 6. USE OF FUNDS. 
A grant award provided under the program may be 
used to— 
(1) provide training, research, and technical as-
sistance to individuals and organizations, as appro-
priate, to facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, 
site assessments, remediation of brownfield sites, 
community involvement, or site preparation; 
(2) increase the capacity of communities to im-
prove and care for their local environment; 
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(3) reclaim vacant and derelict lands for con-
servation, recreation, and economic development; 
(4) clean up and care for neglected areas to sig-
nal community pride and rejuvenation; 
(5) return brownfields to economically produc-
tive use while restoring blighted landscapes with 
healthy environments; 
(6) integrate environmental education, food se-
curity, health and fitness, resource management, 
and job training; 
(7) encourage businesses, local governments, 
nonprofits, and communities to work together for 
sustainable environmental care and enhancement; 
(8) support businesses, local governments, non-
profits, and communities in efforts to improve their 
local environment; 
(9) raise the profile of urban environmental im-
provements as part of a comprehensive approach to 
smart growth strategies and rejuvenation of inner 
city communities; 
(10) acquire real property and buildings to re-
habilitate and improve upon for the local community 
and perform maintenance on such property and 
buildings, including mowing, irrigating, landscaping, 
painting, and providing structural repairs; 
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(11) expand operations and locations of offices 
to benefit a larger geographic area, and increase 
staff; 
(12) develop information systems and utilize 
such systems for community- and regional-based re-
search and data dissemination; and 
(13) develop programs that encourage regional 
and national partnering with other environmental or-
ganizations. 
SEC. 7. MAXIMUM GRANT AWARD. 
A grant award under the program shall not exceed 
$400,000 for any fiscal year. 
SEC. 8. LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. 
The Secretary may reserve not more than 15 percent 
of the amount made available under this Act to carry out 
the program in a fiscal year for administrative costs, in-
cluding managing, administering, and assisting with tech-
nical support of operations for national and local Ground-
work USA offices. 
SEC. 9. ANNUAL REPORT. 
Each grant recipient shall submit to the Secretary 
and the national Groundwork USA national office an an-
nual report at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Groundwork USA national office, may require. 
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SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
the program $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2012 
through 2017. 
Æ 
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