[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2738 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2738
To amend title 23, United States Code, to encourage and facilitate
efforts by States and other transportation rights-of-way managers to
adopt integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing
plantings of native forbs and grasses that provide habitats and forage
for Monarch butterflies, native bees, and other native pollinators, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2015
Mr. Hastings (for himself, Mr. Denham, Ms. Speier, Mr. Conyers, and Ms.
Pingree) 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 rights-of-way managers to
adopt integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing
plantings of native forbs and grasses that provide habitats and forage
for Monarch butterflies, native bees, and other native 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 Pollinator Protection 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, manage
stormwater runoff, and stabilize the soil.
(2) Native forbs and grasses are less likely to encroach
onto roads than invasive species, such as kudzu.
(3) Integrated vegetation management practices could reduce
the cost of maintaining roadside vegetation.
(4) Native forbs and grasses are better adapted to local
conditions and thus require less active management, reducing
the need to replant, weed, and mow the areas adjacent to the
road.
(5) Pollinators, such as native bees, honey bees, birds,
bats, Monarch butterflies, and other butterflies, are suffering
drastic population loss.
(6) Pollinators are vital for American agriculture.
(7) 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 and
forage connectivity.
(9) Plantings of noninvasive, locally appropriate milkweed
species can create migratory way stations for the endangered
Monarch butterfly and can facilitate migrations of other
pollinators.
(10) Enhancing pollinator populations on rights-of-way can
result in improved pollination services for neighboring lands,
including agriculture and wildlife ecosystems.
(11) Highway rights-of-way managed by States represent
17,000,000 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 AND
FORAGE 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 and
forage for pollinators) adjacent''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Encouragement of Pollinator Habitat and Forage Development
and Protection on Transportation Rights-of-Way.--In carrying out any
program administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall, in
conjunction with willing 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 and forage for
Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees
through plantings of native forbs and grasses, including
noninvasive, native milkweed species that can serve as
migratory way stations for butterflies and can facilitate
migrations of other pollinators;
``(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;
``(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, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch
butterflies and other migrating pollinators; and
``(5) solicit participation in any activities outlined
under paragraphs (1) through (4), by representatives of
transportation landscape management, pollinator health,
agriculture, horticulture, and other affected communities.''.
(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 willing State
transportation departments and other managers of transportation
rights-of-way to implement integrated vegetation management
practices, reduce mowing, and enhance habitat and forage for
Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees
through plantings of native forbs and grasses and migratory way
stations for Monarch butterflies and other migrating
pollinators;
(4) a summary of Department of Transportation funds
expended for activities undertaken pursuant to such section;
and
(5) any recommendations for further action.
SEC. 4. PROVISION OF HABITAT, FORAGE, AND MIGRATORY WAY STATIONS FOR
MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, OTHER NATIVE POLLINATORS, AND HONEY
BEES.
Section 329(a)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
inserting ``provision of habitat, forage, and migratory way stations
for Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees,''
before ``and aesthetic enhancement''.
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