To provide for the establishment of Green Transportation Infrastructure Research and Technology Transfer Centers, and for other purpose.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Green Transportation Infrastructure 
Research and Technology Transfer Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Transportation infrastructure contributes to the 
        pollution of surface and ground water because it is comprised 
        of impervious surfaces that concentrate contaminants which are 
        introduced into the water supply during storms.
            (2) Scientists and engineers have developed numerous 
        technologies that can be incorporated into transportation 
        infrastructure which control stormwater and mitigate nonpoint 
        source water pollution.
            (3) There has not been widespread implementation of green 
        transportation infrastructure by governments or private 
        industry because of technical, regulatory, and social barriers, 
        such as lack of training and awareness for builders.
            (4) The Federal Highway Administration, in partnership with 
        the Environmental Protection Agency, has the technical 
        expertise and capacity to promote the use of green 
        transportation infrastructure technologies by State and local 
        governments and private industry through education and outreach 
        and technical assistance programs.

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 following new 
section:

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

    ``(a) Green Transportation Infrastructure Research and Technology 
Transfer.--The Secretary of Transportation shall make grants to 
nonprofit institutions of higher learning or consortia thereof to 
establish and operate university transportation centers to carry out 
research and 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 Secretary an 
        application that is in such form and contains such information 
        as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Merit review; priority.--Grants shall be awarded 
        under this section on a merit-reviewed competitive basis.
            ``(3) Regional centers.--To the greatest extent 
        practicable, the Secretary 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.
            ``(4) Selection criteria.--Except as otherwise provided by 
        this section, the Secretary 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 Secretary 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 lifecycle 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 learning, 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 campaigns to raise awareness of the 
        benefits 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 Secretary 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) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this section.
    ``(g) Definition.--In this section, the term `green transportation 
infrastructure' includes infrastructure that--
            ``(1) preserves and restores natural processes, landforms 
        (such as floodplains), natural vegetated stream side 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 lifecycle energy consumption, including 
        during construction, maintenance, use by vehicles, and 
        destruction and recycling; and
            ``(5) minimizes lifecycle 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. GREEN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AMENDMENTS.

    Section 504 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)(ii)--
                            (i) by striking ``and'' at the end of 
                        subclause (V);
                            (ii) by striking the period at the end of 
                        subclause (VI); and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following 
                        new subclause:
                                    ``(VII) the use of green 
                                transportation infrastructure (as 
                                defined in section 5505A(g) of title 
                                49) for environmental protection and 
                                mitigating environmental impacts of 
                                transportation construction.''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(D) Interagency coordination.--The Institute 
                shall coordinate the development of curriculum and 
                courses with other Federal agencies with expertise in 
                the course subject areas.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(A)(i) by striking ``and traffic 
        safety countermeasures'' and inserting ``traffic safety 
        countermeasures, and options with respect to green 
        transportation infrastructure (as defined in section 5505A(g) 
        of title 49)''.

Summary: Green Transportation Infrastructure Research and Technology Transfer Act - (Sec. 3) Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to existing university transportation centers, or to consortia consisting of such a center and one or more institutions of higher education, to carry out green transportation infrastructure research and development and technology transfer activities.

Defines "green transportation infrastructure" as infrastructure that: (1) preserves and restores natural processes, landforms (such as floodplains), natural vegetated stream side 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) uses natural design techniques to manage stormwater; and (3) minimizes lifecycle energy consumption and air pollution.

Requires grant recipients to be selected on a merit-reviewed competitive basis according to specified criteria, including demonstrated expertise in transportation and green infrastructure research and technology transfer resources.

Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2010.

(Sec. 4) Directs the National Highway Institute of the Federal Highway Administration to continually develop courses relating to the application of emerging technologies for the use of green transportation infrastructure for environmental protection and mitigating environmental impacts of transportation construction.

Adds green transportation infrastructure options as a road and transportation area for which the Secretary may make local technical assistance program grants to assist rural, local transportation agencies and tribal governments to develop and expand their expertise.