Statements On Introduced Bills And Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. SPECTER, Mrs. HAGAN, and Mr. HARKIN):

S. 3279. A bill to reauthorize the national small business tree planting program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act of 2010, a companion bill to the legislation introduced in the House by another member of the Oregon delegation, Congressman SCHRADER. I am pleased to launch this legislation in the Senate and am joined today by Senator MERKLEY from my home State, as well as Senators STABENOW, SPECTER, and HARKIN.

Trees provide numerous benefits to our communities--from cleaner air to energy efficiency to more beautiful city streets. But trees and green spaces are also good for business and good for green job creation. Beyond the most obvious benefits of trees, studies have shown that businesses thrive in green, attractive, pedestrian-oriented retail environments. And this legislation will help America's small businesses and communities plant trees and enhance those kinds of environments. As a Senator from Oregon--a State that grows many of the trees that beautify cities around our Nation, including some of the very trees that grace the Capitol grounds--I also know how critical jobs in our nursery and landscaping sector can be. In my State, the industry provides 21,000 jobs and helps provide over $2 billion worth of economic activity.

This bill would reauthorize the National Small Business Tree Planting Program, which existed for several years in the 1990s. Between 1991 and 1994, more than 18,000 green industry firms were employed to plant more than 23 million trees across the country through the Small Business Administration program. This program had numerous successes, including in my home State where 109 tree planting grants were administered between 1991 and 1994. Nearly 11,700 shade, landscape, and riparian area trees were planted.

The program would be authorized at $50 million a year between fiscal years 2011 and 2015. The funding provides grants to State forestry agencies to enable communities to plant trees around retail storefronts, rental housing units, and other public areas. This program requires a 25-percent match for any grant received under the program, including in-kind contributions such as the cost or value of providing care and maintenance for a period of 3 years after planting. Having a match requirement ensures that both private and community investments are made for the installation and care of trees funded by this program Ultimately, this program will lead to healthier, greener more vibrant communities and result in green jobs. I look forward to working with Senate cosponsors, the nursery industry, State foresters, and the bill's other supporters to advance this legislation to the President's desk.

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