Doris Matsui (D-CA) has represented Sacramento and its environs in Congress since 2005. She is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and three subcommittees: Communications and Technology, Energy and Power, and Environment and the Economy.

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) has introduced The Residential Energy and Economic Savings (TREES) Act, designed to help lower residential energy usage through targeted planting of shade trees.

The TREES Act cites the benefits of proper tree placement, including stormwater management and reducing energy demand. The act would establish a grant program to assist electricity providers in planting shade trees to insulate residential buildings and minimize home heating and cooling demands. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has worked closely with the congresswoman's office on drafting the language of the legislation. Representative Matsui included these ASLA's recommendations:

• Require the residential recipients of the trees to care for them, and establish an education campaign to help residents maintain them.

• Require monitoring and reporting on the survival, growth, overall health and estimated savings of the new trees.

• Allow ASLA to recommend a landscape architect to participate on the local technical advisory committees to provide advice and consultation to the program.

"My home district of Sacramento has implemented a successful shade tree program, and I believe replicating this program on a national level will help ensure we are working towards a cleaner, healthier future," explained Matsui.

"ASLA lends its support to the bill because planting shade trees and increasing overall tree canopy are effective strategies to help dramatically lower energy bills and reduce air pollution," said Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA.