Urban Heat Mitigation and Management Grant Program

(a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Office of Community Planning and Development, in coordination with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Director of the Climate Program Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish an urban heat mitigation and management grant program to award grants to eligible entities to implement eligible projects. (b) Set-Aside Not less than 75 percent of the amounts of covered grants awarded for a fiscal year shall be awarded to eligible entities to implement projects in a covered census tract. (c) Technical assistance (1) In general Not more than 3 percent of amounts appropriated to carry out this section may be used to provide technical assistance to eligible entities applying for or implementing a covered grant. (2) Preference In providing technical assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities that intend to serve communities— (A) located in a covered census tract; or (B) with lower-tree canopy and higher maximum daytime summer temperatures compared to surrounding communities, as determined by the Secretary, based on publicly available information. (3) Inclusions Technical assistance provided under paragraph (1) may include— (A) assistance developing a complete application; (B) financial analysis and budget development; (C) support for project integration; (D) assessment of project readiness; and (E) technical assistance implementing activities once a covered grant is received. (d) Application (1) In general An eligible entity desiring a covered grant shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such time and in such manner as required by the Secretary in guidance, that includes, at a minimum— (A) how the eligible entity will use the covered grant; (B) how the eligible projects funded will combat extreme heat or excess urban heat effects and improve quality of life for impacted communities; (C) a robust engagement plan that— (i) outlines how the eligible entity will meaningfully and inclusively engage with the communities in which the eligible projects take place throughout project implementation; and (ii) demonstrates how the eligible entity plans to— (I) foster meaningful, reciprocal relationships with community-based organizations; (II) engage in respectful, good-faith consultation with diverse community stakeholders; and (III) empower members of the community to participate in decision making; and (D) how the eligible entity will address the intersection between human health, environment, and built environment. (2) Guidance Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue the guidance described in paragraph (1). (e) Matching requirement (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal share of the cost of an eligible project carried out with amounts from a covered grant shall be not more than 80 percent. (2) Waiver The Secretary may increase the maximum Federal share described in paragraph (1) from 80 percent to 100 percent for an eligible project carried out by an eligible entity that demonstrates economic hardship, as determined by the Secretary. (f) Priority In awarding covered grants, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that serves— (1) a community located in a covered census tract; or (2) a community with lower tree canopy and higher maximum daytime summer temperatures compared to surrounding communities, as determined by the Secretary, based on publicly available information. (g) Reporting requirement The Secretary shall submit an annual report to Congress that identifies the recipients of covered grants and the geographic and economic distribution of those recipients. (h) Oversight (1) In general In order to ensure the effectiveness of projects that are carried out using covered grants, the Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent of any amounts appropriated to carry out this section to establish an oversight board to help— (A) select recipients of covered grants; and (B) review the progress made by recipients of covered grants on a yearly basis. (2) Evaluation The board established under paragraph (1) shall— (A) develop and apply a rubric to evaluate the success of projects carried out using covered grants in reaching their objective to combat the causes and effects of excess urban heat; and (B) serve the Secretary in an advisory capacity. (3) Membership (A) In general Members of the board established under paragraph (1) may include— (i) representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, particularly from the Heat Island Reduction Program; (ii) representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, particularly from the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity; (iii) representatives from the Department of Energy, particularly from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; (iv) representatives from the Department of Agriculture, particularly from the Urban and Community Forestry Program; (v) subject to subparagraph (B), representatives from nonprofit organizations with proven leadership in urban heat mitigation or environmental justice, as determined by the Secretary; and (vi) subject to subparagraph (B), representatives from academia and research studying the effects of and mitigation of excess urban heat, environmental justice, or related areas. (B) Certification required In order to be a member of the board established under paragraph (1), a representative described in clause (v) or (vi) of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall certify that the representative does not possess any conflict of interest with respect to projects being considered for a covered grant or being carried out using a covered grant. (i) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2033.