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Bill

S 4403

Neighborhood Tree Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Cory Booker and 4 co-sponsors

Establish a Neighborhood Tree Fund to expand and maintain urban tree canopies, prioritizing high-poverty and underserved communities to improve climate resilience and public health

Introduced in Senate
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4403

Overview

  • Bill: S. 4403, the Neighborhood Tree Act of 2026
  • Purpose: Amend the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to expand federal support for planting and maintaining urban trees, with a focus on priority communities and addressing inequities in urban forestry.
  • Introduced in: Senate, April 27, 2026
  • Primary sponsors: Thom Tillis? (Note: The provided text lists sponsors: Bill introduced by Mr. Booker, with emphasis from Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Kim, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Markey; co-sponsors include Andy Kim, Ed Markey, Tammy Duckworth, Cory Booker, and Kirsten Gillibrand.)

What the bill aims to do

  • Establish the Neighborhood Tree Fund within the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to provide targeted assistance for urban tree canopy health and expansion.
  • Prioritize investments in communities with economic and environmental inequities, especially those with high poverty or limited canopy coverage and higher heat exposure.
  • Support climate resilience, public health, urban agriculture/forestry, and green infrastructure through tree planting and maintenance.

Key provisions

  • Neighborhood Tree Fund (Fund)
    • The Secretary of Agriculture must establish the Neighborhood Tree Fund to support canopy health and expansion in eligible communities.
    • Eligible recipients: States, Indian Tribes, and local governments, approved organizations, or local community tree volunteer groups described in the statute.
    • Secretary must set requirements for receiving funds, including:
    • Community/stakeholder engagement
    • Tree canopy assessments
    • Incorporation of climate science into project design
    • Site preparation and species selection
    • Monitoring and maintenance to ensure tree establishment
    • Priority criteria for fund awards:
    • Projects prioritizing planting and maintenance in high-poverty census tracts (≥20% poverty, per 2014-2018 ACS data) or areas designated as hazardous/definitely declining via historical redlining maps
    • Areas with low tree canopy or higher daytime summer temperatures compared to surrounding areas
    • Projects that advance climate mitigation/resilience for public health
    • Projects that promote urban agroforestry or tree-based local food production
    • Limitation on use for community tree assessments: No more than 10% of annual Fund amounts may be used for developing community tree assessments
    • Authorization of appropriations (monetary amounts by year):
    • FY2027: at least $100 million
    • FY2028: at least $200 million
    • FY2029: at least $400 million
    • FY2030: at least $600 million
    • FY2031: at least $700 million
  • National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council
    • Composition adjustments to the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council:
    • Increase membership from 15 to 16
    • Update roster to use periods and remove some comma separators
    • Add 3 new non-governmental, urban forestry experts, with specific residency requirements:
      • 1 member must be a resident of a community with population under 50,000
      • 1 member must be a resident of a low-income community (as determined by the Secretary)

Who would be affected

  • Federal:
    • Establishment and administration of the Neighborhood Tree Fund by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) in coordination with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for eligibility and project design considerations.
    • Requirements for fund recipients, including engagement, canopy assessments, climate-informed project design, and ongoing maintenance.
    • Expanded advisory council to include additional non-governmental experts, and representation from smaller or underserved communities.
  • State, local, tribal, and community organizations:
    • Eligible to apply for Fund grants to plant and maintain urban trees, conduct canopy assessments, and implement climate-resilient forestry projects.
    • Priority given to low-income or high-poverty areas and areas with underrepresentation of canopy cover.
  • Residents in priority communities:
    • Potential improvements in urban tree canopy, heat mitigation, air quality, stormwater management, and related health and environmental benefits.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Funding timeline:
    • Authorized annual appropriations ramp up from FY2027 through FY2031, reaching at least $700 million in FY2031.
  • Implementation steps:
    • The Secretary must establish eligibility criteria, project priorities, and minimum requirements for Fund recipients, in consultation with HUD.
    • Recipients must perform canopy assessments, community engagement, climate-informed design, and monitoring/maintenance plans.
  • Evaluation and accountability:
    • Projects prioritized based on poverty, canopy deficit, heat exposure, and potential health and climate benefits, with a cap on non-core activities (e.g., community tree assessments limited to 10% of annual Fund use).
  • Advisory council changes:
    • Adds non-governmental expertise and targeted residency requirements to ensure input from small and underserved communities.

Potential impact

  • Climate resilience and public health: Expanded urban tree canopy can reduce urban heat island effects, improve air quality, support stormwater management, and promote physical/mental health benefits.
  • Equity focus: Directs substantial resources to historically underserved communities and those affected by redlining-era inequities.
  • Economic: Can spur job creation in urban forestry, maintenance, and related green infrastructure sectors; can influence property values and neighborhood livability.
  • Environmental benefits: Increased canopy cover, enhanced biodiversity, and support for urban agriculture and local food systems in target areas.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current law or draft a one-page briefing for a legislative briefing book.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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