[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1516 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1516

      To establish a program under which the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency shall provide grants to eligible State 
     consortia to establish and carry out municipal sustainability 
            certification programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 7, 2011

 Mr. Menendez introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To establish a program under which the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency shall provide grants to eligible State 
     consortia to establish and carry out municipal sustainability 
            certification programs, 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 ``Sustainable States Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) local government leadership is critical in crafting and 
        implementing effective, long-term solutions to regionally 
        distinct challenges, such as--
                    (A) energy demand and supply;
                    (B) water resource management;
                    (C) waste production and management;
                    (D) pollution;
                    (E) environmental stewardship and conservation; and
                    (F) economic competitiveness, growth, and 
                development;
            (2) State-specific municipal sustainability certification 
        programs provide a framework for constructive competition among 
        the municipalities of a State that accelerates the development 
        and demonstration of effective local solutions to those 
        challenges; and
            (3) public-private partnerships are successful means of 
        sustaining the operation of municipal sustainability 
        certification programs which, as evidenced by the successful 
        program in the State of New Jersey--
                    (A) reduce municipal costs;
                    (B) create jobs;
                    (C) drive local economic growth; and
                    (D) yield environmental benefits.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Municipal sustainability certification program.--The 
        term ``municipal sustainability certification program'' means a 
        program established and carried out by a sustainable State 
        consortium that--
                    (A) determines a set of State-specific benchmarks 
                for use in evaluating sustainability; and
                    (B) certifies a municipality as sustainable based 
                on documented achievement of those benchmarks.
            (3) Sustainable state consortium.--The term ``sustainable 
        State consortium'' means a partnership consisting of local 
        governments, a State, 1 or more public universities, and any 
        other municipal organizations, businesses, or nonprofit 
        organizations selected by the consortium that is formed to 
        establish a municipal sustainability certification program.
            (4) Top performer.--The term ``top performer'' means a 
        municipality that--
                    (A) has successfully completed a municipal 
                sustainability certification program; and
                    (B) is recognized by the Administrator for 
                outstanding leadership in municipal sustainability.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--There is established a program under which 
        the Administrator shall provide grants to sustainable State 
        consortia for use in establishing and carrying out municipal 
        sustainability certification programs.
            (2) Flexible guidelines for award selection.--The 
        Administrator shall establish flexible guidelines that reflect 
        regional differences for use by sustainable State consortia in 
        establishing State-specific municipal sustainability 
        certification programs.
            (3) Grants.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall provide 
                grants under this paragraph to sustainable State 
                consortia for use in establishing and carrying out 
                municipal sustainability certification programs.
                    (B) Eligibility.--Not more than 1 sustainable State 
                consortium per State may apply for and receive a grant 
                under this section.
                    (C) Number and term of grants.--The Administrator 
                shall provide not more than 20 grants under this 
                section, each of which shall have a term of 3 years.
                    (D) Limitation on amounts.--A grant provided under 
                this section shall not exceed $600,000 during the term 
                of the grant.
                    (E) Geographical distribution of grant funds.--The 
                Administrator shall provide grants under this section 
                in a manner that results in, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, a geographical balance of funds provided, 
                as determined by the Administrator.
            (4) Data and reports.--The Administrator shall annually--
                    (A) collect and compile data from sustainable State 
                consortia with respect to municipal actions undertaken 
                to obtain municipal sustainability certification; and
                    (B) submit to Congress a concise report that 
                describes, for the year covered by the report, 
                municipal actions undertaken to obtain municipal 
                sustainability certification.
            (5) State and local needs.--The Administrator shall 
        encourage sustainable State consortia--
                    (A) to establish certification standards beyond the 
                guidelines established by the Administrator;
                    (B) to otherwise adapt the administration of the 
                program established under this section to meet regional 
                or local needs; and
                    (C) to plan for public-private partnership 
                agreements that will sustain the operation of the 
                certification program of a State beyond the term of the 
                grant.
    (b) Administration.--
            (1) Fees.--The Administrator shall not charge fees for 
        certification, training, use of program tools, or any other 
        participation in the program established under this section.
            (2) Web site.--The Administrator shall establish a Web site 
        that allows for interactive dialogue and collaboration among 
        community leaders and citizens engaged in municipal 
        sustainability certification.
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this section $4,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2012 through 2014.
            (2) Other funding.--A sustainable State consortium or other 
        entity that receives a grant under this section may seek 
        additional foundation, nonprofit, private-sector, and other 
        sources of funding to support additional program elements and 
        municipal incentives that are in addition to the minimum 
        requirements for a grant under this section.

SEC. 5. PROJECT GRANTS FOR TOP PERFORMERS.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--There is established a program under which 
        the Administrator shall award project grants to municipalities 
        certified by sustainable State consortia to extend the 
        leadership of the municipalities in meeting sustainability 
        challenges.
            (2) Accounting for regional differences.--To the maximum 
        extent practicable, the Administrator shall take regional 
        differences into account when selecting top performers under 
        this section.
            (3) Grants.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall select top 
                performers from among the municipalities that have 
                achieved certification by sustainable State consortia 
                to compete for individual project grants.
                    (B) Eligibility.--Not more than 2 top performers 
                from any State may receive a grant under this section 
                per fiscal year.
                    (C) Number of grants.--The Administrator shall 
                provide not more than 20 grants under this section.
                    (D) Limitation on amounts.--A grant provided under 
                this section shall not exceed $100,000 in the 
                aggregate.
    (b) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2012 through 2014.
            (2) Other funding.--A top performer municipality that 
        receives a grant under this section may seek additional 
        foundation, nonprofit, private-sector, and other sources of 
        funding to support a project under this section.
                                 <all>