[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2381 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2381

  To amend title 23, United States Code, to encourage and facilitate 
  efforts by States and other transportation right-of-way managers to 
 adopt integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing 
    plantings of native forbs and grasses that provide habitats for 
                  pollinators, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 24, 2011

  Mr. Hastings of Florida (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. 
 Blumenauer, and Mr. Boswell) introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 23, United States Code, to encourage and facilitate 
  efforts by States and other transportation right-of-way managers to 
 adopt integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing 
    plantings of native forbs and grasses that provide habitats for 
                  pollinators, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Highways Bettering the Economy and 
Environment Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The roadside vegetation management practices of both 
        State governments and the Federal Government aim to secure 
        motorist safety, reduce the presence of noxious weeds, and 
        stabilize the soil.
            (2) Federal and State highway departments are facing severe 
        budget shortfalls.
            (3) Native forbs and grasses are less likely to encroach 
        onto roads than invasive species, such as kudzu.
            (4) Integrated vegetation management practices will reduce 
        the cost of maintaining roadside vegetation.
            (5) Native forbs and grasses are best adapted to local 
        conditions and thus require less active management, reducing 
        the need to replant, weed, and mow the areas adjacent to the 
        road.
            (6) Pollinators, such as bees, birds, bats, and 
        butterflies, are suffering drastic population loss, due in part 
        to loss of habitat.
            (7) Pollinators are vital for American agriculture. 
        Responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat, a 
        diverse pollinator population is necessary for maintaining the 
        diversity of our plant life and food supply.
            (8) Studies have shown supporting native forbs and grasses 
        along the roadside can be beneficial to the pollinator 
        population by providing migratory corridors and habitat 
        connectivity and by helping such populations adapt to climate 
        change.
            (9) Enhancing pollinator populations on rights-of-way can 
        result in improved pollination services for neighboring lands, 
        including agriculture and wildlife ecosystems.
            (10) Highway rights-of-way managed by States represent 17 
        million acres of pollinator habitat conservation opportunity, 
        and similar opportunities and benefits exist on other 
        transportation rights-of-way.

SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS TO ENCOURAGE POLLINATOR HABITAT ON 
              TRANSPORTATION RIGHTS-OF-WAY.

    (a) In General.--Section 319 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``beauty adjacent'' and 
        inserting ``beauty (including the enhancement of habitat for 
        pollinators) adjacent''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Encouragement of Pollinator Habitat Development and 
Protection on Transportation Rights-of-Way.--In carrying out any 
program administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall, in 
conjunction with the States, as appropriate--
            ``(1) conduct or encourage integrated vegetation management 
        practices on roadsides and other transportation rights-of-way, 
        including reduced mowing;
            ``(2) enhance the development of habitat for pollinators 
        through plantings of native forbs and grasses;
            ``(3) encourage leveraging through partnerships and 
        coordination with stakeholders in support of pollinators and 
        plantings of native forbs and grasses, such as environmental 
        groups, research institutions, other agencies, businesses, and 
        community organizations; and
            ``(4) conduct or facilitate research and demonstration 
        projects on the economic and environmental benefits and best 
        practices for integrated vegetation management, reduced mowing, 
        and plantings of native forbs and grasses for pollinator 
        habitat.''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall transmit to Congress 
a report that includes--
            (1) an analysis of current programs and authorities 
        available to carry out section 319(c) of title 23, United 
        States Code;
            (2) a summary of programs and authorities being used to 
        implement such section;
            (3) an assessment of actions being taken by State 
        transportation departments and other managers of transportation 
        rights-of-way to implement integrated vegetation management 
        practices, reduce mowing, and enhance habitat for pollinators 
        through plantings of native forbs and grasses, and
            (4) any recommendations for further action.

SEC. 4. PROVISION OF HABITAT FOR POLLINATORS.

    (a) In General.--Section 329(a)(1) of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting ``provision of habitat for pollinators,'' 
before ``and aesthetic enhancement''.
                                 <all>