Title II — Civilian Climate Corps

S. 779 · 118th Congress · Mar 14, 2023 · Lineage

II Civilian Climate Corps

Sec. 201 Definitions

In this title:

(1)

Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A)

the Committees on Appropriations, Energy and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; and

(B)

the Committees on Appropriations, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives.

(2)

Corps— The term Corps means the Civilian Climate Corps established under section 202(a).

(3)

Director— The term Director means the Director of the AmeriCorps Administration appointed under section 193 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990.

(4)

Disproportionately impacted community— The term disproportionately impacted community means a community with significant representation from 1 or more communities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal and Native American communities, that experiences, or is at greater risk of experiencing, higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects, as compared to other communities, from climate change.

(5)

Qualified youth service or conservation corps— The term qualified youth service or conservation corps means—

(A)

a corps that carries out a program authorized under—

(i)

the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.);

(ii)

title I of the Act entitled “An Act to establish a pilot program in the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture designated as the Youth Conservation Corps, and for other purposes”, approved August 13, 1970 (commonly known as the “Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970”; 16 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or

(iii)

the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.), including the Indian Youth Service Corps authorized under section 210 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1727b); and

(B)

the Urban Youth Corps authorized under section 106 of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 12656).

(6)

Secretaries— The term Secretaries means the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Labor, acting jointly.

(7)

Tribal or native american community— The term Tribal or Native American community means a population of people who are members of—

(A)

an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));

(B)

an urban Indian (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)) community;

(C)

a Native Hawaiian (as defined in section 815 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992c)) community; or

(D)

a Native American Pacific Islander (as defined in section 815 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992c)) community.

Sec. 202 Civilian Climate Corps

(a)

Establishment— The Secretaries and the Director, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall enter into an interagency agreement establishing a Civilian Climate Corps and service projects for the Corps, to be operated by the Director, in accordance with the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.) and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.). The service projects shall be carried out using funds available under those Acts and any funds made available pursuant to an interagency agreement authorized by section 121(b)(1) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571(b)(1)).

(b)

Consultation— The Secretaries and the Director shall consult with the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps and other relevant national service organizations for the purpose of identifying appropriate projects, activities, and workforce development outcomes for the Corps.

(c)

Report— Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Director, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes—

(1)

the proposed number of Corps members; and

(2)

the recommended amount of funding for the service projects of the Corps for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027.

Sec. 203 Requirements for corps service projects

In carrying out a service project through the Corps, the Director, in coordination with the Secretaries, shall—

(1)

(A)

prioritize efforts to assist a disproportionately impacted community; or

(B)

ensure the service project is carried out in partnership with a qualified youth service or conservation corps;

(2)

ensure that the service project is, as relevant, coordinated with Tribal and Native American communities to protect natural cultural resources; and

(3)

accomplish 1 or more of the following objectives:

(A)

Conserving, monitoring, and restoring public land and water to help mitigate and adapt to climate change.

(B)

Addressing the needs of frontline communities experiencing the worst effects of climate change.

(C)

Building resilience to climate change through nature-based solutions, such as living shorelines, wetlands, green stormwater infrastructure, and sustainable forest management, to appropriately manage natural systems that buffer human communities from environmental harm.

(D)

Assisting natural disaster-prone communities and disproportionately impacted communities by replacing aging infrastructure with climate-ready upgrades, such as improved stream crossings and community facilities and housing with enhanced energy efficiency.

(E)

Promoting traditional ecological knowledge, natural climate solutions, such as ecologically appropriate reforestation and sequestration, and techniques, such as aquaponics and regenerative practices, in the agricultural sector, to help mitigate climate change by reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.

(F)

Supporting the resilience of natural systems to climate change by protecting biodiversity through targeted conservation efforts and the eradication of invasive species.

(G)

Increasing education of the general public on climate adaptation and mitigation, including ways in which private landowners can initiate efforts on private land that are similar to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts supported by service projects carried out by the Corps.

(H)

Improving access to outdoor recreation to promote a continued national appreciation for the natural environment.

(I)

Addressing environmental degradation in disproportionately impacted communities.

(J)

Supporting the resilience of agricultural and food supply systems to ensure reliable and equitable access to nutritious foods, particularly among disproportionately impacted communities.

(K)

Advancing the resiliency and carbon emission reductions of the entities headed by officers listed in section 202(a) through installation of small-scale clean energy equipment or facility weatherization projects on public land.

(L)

Addressing urban and suburban greening and revitalization, including—

(i)

the preservation, restoration, and expansion of open spaces;

(ii)

the conversion of blacktops;

(iii)

the installations of green roofs; and

(iv)

the planting of trees.

Sec. 204 Diverse backgrounds of participants

In selecting members for the Corps, the Director, in coordination with the Secretaries, shall ensure that—

(1)

members are from economically, geographically, and ethnically diverse backgrounds; and

(2)

veterans, individuals with disabilities, and people of various sexes, sexual orientations, and gender identities are represented.