[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3707 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3707

 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the 
Groundwork USA national office, to provide grants to certain nonprofit 
                             organizations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 7, 2015

 Ms. Tsongas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 
     Natural Resources and Financial Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               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 Representatives 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 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) locally organized and controlled entities that are 
        linked together through a national program office have the 
        ability to lead cost-effective projects and programs that are 
        responsive to community needs and essential to improving the 
        local environment, economy, and quality of life;
            (2) local community involvement with how land is being used 
        is an essential component to the economic success of a 
        neighborhood;
            (3) underutilized and neglected vacant lands significantly 
        erode nearby property values and burden municipal tax bases;
            (4) landscaping and maintenance, especially when local 
        citizens are involved in the process, decreases negative stigma 
        and generates civic pride, which in turn significantly reduces 
        vandalism and illicit 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 increased 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 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 presence or potential presence of a 
        hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
            (2) Eligible organization.--The term ``eligible 
        organization'' means a--
                    (A) nonprofit organization that applies for a grant 
                award under section 4(b) to establish a Groundwork 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 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 Revenue 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 national office, is authorized to award grants 
to eligible organizations.
    (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 containing 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 submitted, taking into 
consideration such factors as the following:
            (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 assistance 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 commitment 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, greenways, open 
                space, and nature reserves and increase opportunities 
                for recreation, conservation, food security, 
                environmental education, and other environmental 
                improvements in communities 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 community in 
                the planning and development of projects and programs 
                to improve its local environment, including the 
                assessment, cleanup, and reuse of brownfield sites for 
                parks, recreation 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, including:
                    (A) The potential to leverage or stimulate funds 
                from other sources to support the assessment and 
                remediation of brownfields and their reuse for parks, 
                recreation facilities, nature areas, and other 
                community benefits.
                    (B) The potential to engage the local community 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 environment associated with 
                the presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or 
                contaminants.
                    (D) The potential to help address or facilitate 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 assistance to 
        individuals and organizations, as appropriate, 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 improve and 
        care for their local environment;
            (3) reclaim vacant and derelict lands for conservation, 
        recreation, and economic development;
            (4) clean up and care for neglected areas to signal 
        community pride and rejuvenation;
            (5) return brownfields to economically productive use while 
        restoring blighted landscapes with healthy environments;
            (6) integrate environmental education, food security, 
        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, nonprofits, and 
        communities in efforts to improve their local environment;
            (9) raise the profile of urban environmental improvements 
        as part of a comprehensive approach to smart growth strategies 
        and rejuvenation of inner city communities;
            (10) acquire real property and buildings to rehabilitate 
        and improve upon for the local community and perform 
        maintenance on such property and buildings, including mowing, 
        irrigating, landscaping, painting, and providing structural 
        repairs;
            (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 research and data 
        dissemination; and
            (13) develop programs that encourage regional and national 
        partnering with other environmental organizations.

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, including managing, administering, and 
assisting with technical support of operations for national and local 
Groundwork USA offices.

SEC. 9. ANNUAL REPORT.

    Each grant recipient shall submit to the Secretary and the national 
Groundwork USA national office an annual report at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary, in 
consultation with the Groundwork USA national office, may require.

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 2016 through 2021.
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