Findings; purpose

(a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Extreme heat is a growing public health and infrastructure challenge. (2) Tree canopy and green infrastructure reduce surface and air temperatures, improve safety and usability along transportation corridors, and protect infrastructure from heat-related degradation. (3) Communities with limited infrastructure investment often lack sufficient tree cover and face increased exposure to extreme heat and limited transportation access. (4) Federal programs such as the Healthy Streets program and the Urban and Community Forestry Program have demonstrated both high demand and the effectiveness of locally driven, community-scale interventions. (5) Locally driven efforts to plant and maintain trees along key walking, biking, and transit corridors are under-resourced, despite proven benefits to heat mitigation, public safety, and community health. (b) Purpose The purpose of this Act is to— (1) promote the deployment of cooling infrastructure along transportation corridors; (2) enhance resilience and safety of transportation systems in the face of extreme heat and improve air quality; (3) improve safety, accessibility, and usability for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users; (4) extend the useful life of infrastructure; and (5) prioritize investment in communities facing disproportionate heat and access challenges.