National and Regional Greenways Act
Bill: H.R.3566 | Sponsor: Rep. Bourdeaux, Carolyn (D-GA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
National and Regional Greenways Act
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program for states, localities, and tribes to support community greenway paths for walking, bicycling, and other motor vehicle alternatives.
DOT must designate eligible greenway paths that are considered regionally or nationally significant through a national greenway paths network; paths must cross multiple localities or states, reduce congestion, improve safety, benefit the environment, support communities, or meet other specified criteria. Eligible projects must support access to public parks, transportation, and other community needs.

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a program to 
   make grants for the improvement or construction of regionally or 
     nationally significant greenway paths, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National and Regional Greenways 
Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL GREENWAYS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to make 
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible organizations to improve or 
construct safe and connected greenway paths between communities that 
are designated as regionally or nationally significant by the Secretary 
under subsection (b).
    (b) Regionally or Nationally Significant Greenway Paths.--In 
carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall 
establish a national greenway paths network. The national greenway 
paths network shall contain regionally or nationally significant 
greenway paths designated by the Secretary that--
            (1) cross multiple local jurisdictions or State lines;
            (2) reduce congestion and single-occupant vehicle trips, 
        improve safety and access to jobs, and lower emissions for 
        criteria pollutants (NOx, VOC, PM) and greenhouse gases;
            (3) support community goals and objectives in areas covered 
        by metropolitan planning organizations; or
            (4) meet any other criteria the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To receive a grant under this section, an 
        eligible organization shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application in such manner and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require.
            (2) Eligible projects partially on federal land.--With 
        respect to an application for eligible greenway projects that 
        are located in part on Federal lands, an eligible organization 
        shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the appropriate 
        Federal agency with jurisdiction over such land to be eligible 
        for a grant under this section.
    (d) Application Considerations.--In making a grant for construction 
of a greenway path under this section, the Secretary shall consider the 
following:
            (1) Whether the proposed eligible greenway project is 
        likely to provide substantial additional opportunities for 
        walking and bicycling, including by--
                    (A) creating greenway paths connecting multiple 
                communities, counties, metropolitan regions, or States;
                    (B) integrating greenway paths with transit 
                services, where available, to improve access to public 
                transportation; and
                    (C) integrating greenway paths with existing parks, 
                recreation or scenic areas, adjacent waterways, or 
                transportation corridors.
            (2) Whether the eligible organization proposing a project 
        demonstrates broad community support through--
                    (A) prior public input in the development of a plan 
                for the proposed project; and
                    (B) the commitment of any project sponsors and 
                community leaders, including elected officials in the 
                jurisdiction in which such project is located, partner 
                organization leaders, and private or nongovernmental 
                organizations in the area in which such project is 
                located, to the success and timely implementation of an 
                eligible greenway project.
            (3) The extent to which the eligible organization provides 
        evidence of commitment to traffic safety, regulations, 
        financial incentives, or community design policies that 
        facilitate significant increases in walking and bicycling.
            (4) The extent to which the eligible organization 
        demonstrates commitment of State, local, or eligible Federal 
        matching funds, and land or in-kind contributions, in addition 
        to the local match required under subsection (g)(1), unless the 
        applicant qualifies for an exception under subsection (g)(2).
            (5) The extent to which the eligible organization 
        demonstrates that the grant will address existing disparities 
        in bicyclist and pedestrian fatality rates based on race or 
        income level or provide access to schools, jobs, services, 
        transit, or recreational opportunities for low-income 
        communities and communities of color.
            (6) Whether the eligible organization demonstrates how 
        investment in active transportation will advance safety for 
        pedestrians and cyclists, accessibility to schools, jobs and 
        transit, accessibility to national, State, or local parks, 
        economic competitiveness, environmental protection, and quality 
        of life.
    (e) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Planning and design grants.--Each fiscal year, the 
        Secretary shall set aside not less than $3,000,000 from the 
        funds made available to carry out this section to provide 
        planning grants for eligible organizations to develop a local 
        or regional greenways and paths plan.
            (2) Administrative costs.--Each fiscal year, the Secretary 
        shall set aside not more than $2,000,000 of the funds made 
        available to carry out this section to cover the costs of 
        administration, research, technical assistance, communications, 
        and training activities under the program.
    (f) Grant Timing.--
            (1) Request for application.--Not later than 30 days after 
        funds are made available to carry out this section, the 
        Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a request for 
        applications for grants under this section.
            (2) Selection of grant recipients.--Not later than 150 days 
        after funds are made available to carry out this section, the 
        Secretary shall select grant recipients for grants under this 
        section.
    (g) Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Federal share of the cost of a project under this section shall 
        not exceed 80 percent of the total project cost.
            (2) Exceptions.--
                    (A) Disadvantage communities.--For projects serving 
                communities with a poverty rate of over 40 percent 
                based on the majority of census tracts served by such 
                project, the Secretary may increase the Federal share 
                of the cost of a project under this section to 100 
                percent of the total project cost.
                    (B) Rural areas.--For projects serving rural areas, 
                as such term is defined in section 101 of title 23, 
                United States Code, the Federal share of the cost of a 
                project under this section shall be 90 percent of the 
                total project cost.
    (h) Reports.--
            (1) Interim report.--Not later than September 30, 2023, the 
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the 
        information described in paragraph (3).
            (2) Final report.--Not later than September 30, 2025, the 
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the 
        information described in paragraph (3).
            (3) Report information.--A report submitted under this 
        subsection shall contain the following:
                    (A) A list of grants made under this section.
                    (B) Best practices of recipients in implementing 
                projects funded under this section.
                    (C) Impediments experienced by recipients of grants 
                under this section in planning for and delivering 
                projects under this section.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit 
Account) $250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to 
carry out this section.
    (j) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Active transportation.--The term ``active 
        transportation'' means alternative methods of transportation to 
        motor vehicles, including walking, bicyling, or utilizing 
        assistive mobility or micro mobility devices.
            (2) Greenway path.--The term ``greenway path'' means a 
        hard-surfaced or wheelchair-accessible facility built for 
        active transportation, including a sidewalk, bikeway, or 
        pedestrian path that connects communities, cities, counties, 
        metropolitan regions, or States.
            (3) Community.--The term ``community'' means a geographic 
        area that is socioeconomically interdependent and may include 
        rural, suburban, and urban jurisdictions.
            (4) Eligible organization.--The term ``eligible 
        organization'' means--
                    (A) a local or regional governmental organization, 
                including a metropolitan planning organization or 
                regional planning organization or council;
                    (B) a multi-county special district;
                    (C) a State;
                    (D) a multi-State group of governments; and
                    (E) an Indian Tribe.
            (5) Eligible greenway project.--The term ``eligible 
        greenway project'' means an active transportation project, or 
        group of projects--
                    (A) that is designated as a regionally or 
                nationally significant greenway path under subsection 
                (b);
                    (B) within or between a community or group of 
                communities, at least one of which falls within the 
                jurisdiction of an eligible organization, which has 
                submitted an application under this section;
                    (C) that has--
                            (i) a total cost of not less than 
                        $15,000,000; or
                            (ii) with respect to planning and design 
                        grants, planning and design costs of not less 
                        than $100,000;
                    (D) that construct path segments that close local 
                or regional network gaps or are located within 
                underserved areas;
                    (E) that support an accessible public realm, 
                connect to public transportation, support opportunities 
                for economic development, or promote health and safety; 
                and
                    (F) that connect communities to public spaces and 
                parks, enhance ecological connectivity, support land 
                conservation and access, or support sites for 
                remediation and restoration.
            (6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (8) Total project cost.--The term ``total project cost'' 
        means the sum total of all costs incurred in the development of 
        a project that are approved by the Secretary as reasonable and 
        necessary, including--
                    (A) the cost of acquiring real property;
                    (B) the cost of site preparation, demolition, and 
                development;
                    (C) expenses related to the issuance of bonds or 
                notes;
                    (D) fees in connection with the planning, 
                execution, and financing of the project;
                    (E) the cost of studies, surveys, plans, permits, 
                insurance, interest, financing, tax, and assessment 
                costs;
                    (F) the cost of construction, rehabilitation, 
                reconstruction, and equipping the project;
                    (G) the cost of land improvements;
                    (H) contractor fees;
                    (I) the cost of training and education related to 
                the safety of users of any greenway path constructed as 
                part of an eligible greenway project; and
                    (J) any other cost that the Secretary determines is 
                necessary and reasonable.
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