Cool Corridors Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 4420

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-07-16: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Last Updated

2025-10-25T08:05:48Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Cool Corridors Act of 2025 aims to reauthorize and expand the Healthy Streets program, originally created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Its main goal is to make the country's transportation routes—like walking paths, bike lanes, and bus routes—more resistant to extreme heat, easier to use, and safer by funding the planting of trees, building shade structures, and using other nature-based methods to cool down these areas. It focuses on helping communities that face higher risks from heat and have less access to transportation.

Key Provisions

• Reauthorization: Extends funding for the Healthy Streets program through 2030 (previously set to end in 2026).
• Expanded Eligible Recipients: Adds new groups that can apply for grants, including state and local transit agencies (groups that run buses or trains), state transportation departments, local school districts, and organizations focused on protecting trees and green spaces.
• New Definitions:
• Cool corridor: A transportation route improved with trees, shade structures, and natural cooling methods to lower temperatures, plus plans to keep these features working long-term.
• Heat mitigation strategies: Actions like planting trees, adding plants or reflective surfaces, building shade, and maintaining existing greenery to reduce heat in public areas.
• Eligible Activities for Grants:
• Planning, building, and maintaining trees and green spaces along roads, at bus stops, near transit centers, and in school areas.
• Installing sensors to track heat levels and project performance.
• Community involvement, planning, and job training related to tree care and heat reduction.
• Adding cooling features to new or existing transportation projects, especially in high-traffic walking areas like school zones.
• Grant Selection Criteria: Projects must get approval from local authorities to avoid conflicts with other developments. Prioritizes grants for areas with high heat exposure or low tree cover, those improving access to schools/jobs/services, and those with plans for ongoing maintenance, extra funding sources, low-maintenance plants, and job training in urban forestry (tree care in cities).
• Interagency Coordination: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) must work with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and U.S. Forest Service.
• Technical Assistance: DOT provides guidance, templates, and advice on choosing trees, maintenance plans, and linking projects to local tree programs.
• Tree Planting Rules: Trees must not block traffic views or create safety risks; grant recipients handle watering and care.
• Reporting Requirements: Grant recipients submit yearly reports on temperature drops, infrastructure improvements, health benefits, cost savings, and community involvement. DOT must report to Congress in 5 years on the program's results and suggest making it a permanent part of broader transportation funding.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Extension and Scope: Prolongs the Healthy Streets program by four years and broadens it from basic street improvements (like repairing sidewalks) to include targeted heat-cooling measures along transportation routes.
• Broader Focus: Adds emphasis on rural and urban areas with heat vulnerabilities, integrates cooling into transit and school zones, and requires long-term maintenance plans—features not as detailed in the original program.
• Equity and Sustainability: Introduces stronger priorities for disadvantaged areas (explained as communities hit hard by heat or lacking trees) and mandates reporting on equity outcomes, which were less emphasized before.
• Oversight Enhancements: New rules for interagency teamwork, technical support, safety checks, and performance tracking build on the original law's framework without overhauling it entirely.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: DOT gains responsibilities for coordination, guidance, and reporting, potentially increasing workload but fostering collaboration across federal agencies like EPA and USDA. State and local transportation/transit offices may see more grant opportunities but need to handle maintenance.
• Citizens: Improves daily life for walkers, bikers, and transit riders by reducing heat exposure, enhancing safety, and boosting access to essential services in hotter, underserved areas. Could lead to better public health (fewer heat-related illnesses), cleaner air, and longer-lasting roads/paths, especially benefiting low-income or minority communities with limited green spaces.
• International Relations: No direct effects; the bill is focused on domestic U.S. infrastructure and climate adaptation.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Local and State Governments: Transit agencies, transportation departments, and school districts, who can apply for and manage projects.
• Communities and Residents: Especially in urban/rural areas with high heat risks, low tree cover, or poor transportation access; includes pedestrians, cyclists, students, and low-income groups.
• Environmental and Community Groups: Tree stewardship organizations and workforce training programs involved in planning, planting, and maintenance.
• Federal Agencies: DOT leads implementation, with support from EPA, DOE, HUD, and USDA for expertise on environment, energy, housing, and forestry.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens ties to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by amending specific sections (e.g., 23 U.S.C. 101 note), ensuring projects comply with safety standards and local approvals to avoid disputes. Reporting requirements promote accountability without creating new enforcement bodies.
• Constitutional: No major issues; aligns with Congress's power to fund infrastructure and promote general welfare, emphasizing equity without infringing on state/local authority.
• Political: Bipartisan support (from Democrats and Republicans) highlights growing focus on climate resilience and urban equity. Could influence future transportation budgets by recommending permanent funding, potentially sparking debates on federal spending for environmental projects in a divided Congress.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

Cosponsors (28)

Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]

Recent Actions

• 2025-07-16: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
• 2025-07-15: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• 2025-07-15: Introduced in House
• 2025-07-15: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Cool Corridors Act of 2025 — issued 2025-07-15 — PDF (10 pages)