WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), joined by Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Representatives Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), David McKinley (R-W.Va.) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), this week introduced the TREES Act, bipartisan legislation that will help homeowners lower energy costs, increase tree canopy in underserved communities, and help mitigate the effects of climate change through residential tree planting. The TREES Act would create a cost-share grant program at the U.S. Department of Energy to provide $50 million in funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods through 2026. The program seeks to prioritize low wealth communities as well as areas with low tree canopy and heat islands.
“By planting more trees in our communities, we can improve the quality of our air, increase property values, and reduce residential cooling costs,” Senator Capito said. “Connecting this program to our energy providers, nonprofits, and state and local governments will enable us to work together to reduce our carbon emissions and provide significant benefits to our economy. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this legislation that will lead to many benefits for future generations.”
Full text of the legislation is available here.
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