Library / Laws / 117th / hr / H.R. 9415 / Introduced in House
I
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9415
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 2, 2022Mr. Neguse introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To provide for an analysis and plan with respect to addressing the heat island effect on military installations, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Surveying the Heat Island Effect across Large Divisions Act or the SHIELD Act.
2.
Analysis and plan for addressing heat island effect on military installations
(a)
Installation analysis
At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, the commander of each large military installation (as determined by the Secretary) shall conduct an analysis of—
(1) how the effect known as the heat island effect exacerbates summer heat conditions and necessitates the increased use of air conditioning on the installation; and
(2) inventory on the percentage of tree cover and plant shade trees on the property of the installation.
(b)
Report
Not later than September 30, 2023, the commander of each large military installation shall submit to the Secretary of the analysis conducted by the commander under subsection (a).
(c)
Plan
The Secretary shall—
(1) review the reports submitted under subsection (b);
(2) identify any installation that is a significant heat island with large expanses of concrete or asphalt; and
(3) direct the commander of any installation so identified to increase the tree coverage on the property of the installation by 10 to 30 percent by not later than September 30, 2025.
(d)
Heat island defined
The term heat island means an area with a high concentration of structures (such as building, roads, and other infrastructure) that absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes such as forests or bodies of water.