The TREES Act would create a cost-share grant program at the Department of Energy to provide $50 million in funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods through 2028. Image by AVAKA photo from Pixabay

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MPG) – On Arbor Day, April 25, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Congressmen Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) reintroduced the TREES Act, a bill 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 Department of Energy to provide $50 million in funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods through 2028. The program seeks to prioritize low wealth communities as well as areas with low tree canopy and heat islands.

“Urban forests are critical to addressing climate change and air pollution,” said Congresswoman Matsui.

“Sacramento is the City of Trees, and through the proactive efforts of local organizations and partners we are working hard to build out a more equitable urban tree canopy across our city. The benefits at the local level are clear: we can lower energy costs, reduce temperatures on our streets, improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff and beautify our neighborhoods, all leading to healthier and more climate resilient communities. The TREES Act incentivizes successful programs like ours and scales them to the national level. By creating a competitive federal tree-planting grant program, we can empower communities to improve access to green space and clean air, reduce consumer costs, and help fight climate change,” said Matsui.

“Kansas Citians know all too well that extreme heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent, costly, and dangerous to communities in the urban core due to the heat island effect exacerbating the historic rise in temperatures we’re seeing around the globe,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. “By providing states and municipalities the resources necessary to expand tree canopy in cities, we can not only boost the beautification and restoration of places like Kansas City, but we can also lower energy costs and temperatures to the benefit of local residents. That’s precisely what the TREES Act will do, and why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congresswoman Matsui.”

“The TREES Act brings together environmental stewardship and economic relief, lowering energy costs while making our communities cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. “This is about investing in where we live, expanding green spaces, improving air quality, and creating lasting value for families in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and beyond. It’s a smart, bipartisan solution that delivers where it matters most: at the roots of our neighborhoods.”

“We support the TREES Act and all it does to benefit communities across the country,” said Chief Executive Officer of SMUD and General Manager Paul Lau.

“Today we celebrate our trees and our continued partnership with the Sacramento Tree Foundation which has planted more than 630,000 trees in our local neighborhoods. This urban canopy helps to cool our cities and homes and clean our air through carbon sequestration. The value they add is immeasurable. The TREEs Act will continue to foster our ability to create cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities for everyone. Thank you for this continued effort,” said Lau.

“Trees help to create livable and loveable communities,” said Executive Director of the Sacramento Tree Foundation Jessica Sanders. “We applaud the TREES Act for recognizing that we need action now to create a collaborative community focused on making our communities healthier and more resilient. The TREES Act will allow our children to grow up in tree lined communities with healthy air and healthy neighborhoods.”

“This bill isn’t just about planting trees, it’s about improving lives,” said Joel Pannell, American Forests vice president of Urban Forests Policy. “The bipartisan TREES Act delivers local benefits that communities will feel for generations, from cleaner air to lower utility bills, proving that smart, shared solutions can still bring people together. We thank Representative Matsui, Representative Fitzpatrick and Representative Cleaver for introducing this critical and timely legislation.”