I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2665 
To establish national centers of excellence for regional smart growth planning, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 2, 2009 
Ms. MATSUI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To establish national centers of excellence for regional smart 
growth planning, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘National Centers of 
Excellence for Regional Smart Growth Planning Act’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR RE-
GIONAL SMART GROWTH PLANNING. 
(a) DESIGNATION
AND SELECTION
OF NATIONAL 
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.—In accordance with the re-
quirements of this Act, the Administrator shall designate 
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not fewer than 3 national centers of excellence for regional 
smart growth planning, selected from metropolitan plan-
ning organizations that have demonstrated regional plan-
ning 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 trans-
portation 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 im-
provements in future travel patterns, air emissions, 
and other impacts compared to baseline projections; 
(4) showing significant changes to land use pat-
terns and transportation systems that conform with 
regional transportation plans; 
(5) maintaining effective partnerships with 
local, State, and Federal agencies working on re-
gional smart growth planning; and 
(6) providing expert technical assistance. 
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(b) GUIDELINES.—The Administrator shall develop 
guidelines for the designation and operation of the Cen-
ters. 
(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 informa-
tion and best practices to MPOs that are seeking 
to— 
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(A) upgrade data, models, and perform-
ance metrics; 
(B) achieve greenhouse gas reductions in 
regional transportation plans; or 
(C) work effectively with units of local gov-
ernment to coordinate regional planning and 
economic development plans; 
(3) make research and development rec-
ommendations to the Environmental Protection 
Agency and other appropriate entities to further im-
prove 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 recipi-
ents under section 3. 
SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS. 
(a) GRANT AUTHORITY.—The Administrator, in con-
sultation with the Centers, may make grants on a competi-
tive basis to eligible entities for— 
(1) improving the collection of data and the de-
velopment of models for smart growth planning; 
(2) implementing comprehensive regional smart 
growth planning programs; 
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(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 popu-
lation, land use, travel, employment, congestion, 
and economic activity; 
(D) provides long-term guidance to the 
public to minimize greenhouse gas emissions by 
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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 con-
tribution. 
(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 ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
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(2) CENTER.—The term ‘‘Center’’ means a na-
tional 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, chil-
dren, older individuals, motorists, and individ-
uals 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 High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(5) 
METROPOLITAN
PLANNING
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘‘metropolitan planning organiza-
tion’’ or ‘‘MPO’’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 134(b)(2) of title 23, United States Code. 
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(6) 
SMART
GROWTH.—The 
term 
‘‘smart 
growth’’ means policies regarding growth and devel-
opment 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 infrastruc-
ture, public facilities, or transportation 
that lead to disinvestment in older urban 
or suburban areas; and 
(B) attempt to mitigate such effects in ad-
vance so as to avoid or reduce the negative im-
pacts of such effects. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Admin-
istrator to carry out this Act $65,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2010 through 2015. 
Æ 
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