CATCH THE BUZZ – Support Federal Highway and Rights-of-Way Vegetation Management

Please join the Pollinator Partnership, the American Society of Landscape Architects and other organizations and businesses including this one by signing a group letter (http://bit.ly/1WryA5Y) in opposing the Hartzler (R-MO)-Hudson (R-NC) amendment.

  • The amendment will be offered later this week on the House floor to Transportation Reauthorization legislation (H.R. 3763).
  • The amendment would eliminate funding for all vegetation management projects for federal highways and other rights-of-way.
  • If adopted, this provision would strip funding that could be used by States to improve pollinator habitat on rights-of-way.

Feel free to share this action opportunity with other organizations and businesses.

A pollinator habitat provision based on the BEE Highways Act has been included in Transportation Reauthorization legislation with bipartisan support in both the Senate and House! After 5 years of trying, Congress is nearly to the finish line!

Background and Update:

  • A key provision authored by Rep Jeff Denham (R-CA) encouraging pollinator habitat along roadsides was included in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform (STRR) Act of 2015 (H.R. 3763), a comprehensive bill to reauthorize and reform federal highway programs. H.R. 3763 was unanimously approved on October 22 by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
  • Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) secured a pollinator roadsides provision included in the transportation reauthorization bill passed earlier this year by the full Senate.
  • The pollinator roadsides provision in both bills is based on H.R. 2738, the Highways BEE Act, which was introduced prior to 2015 National Pollinator Week by Denham and Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), co-chairs of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C).
  • The provision directs Secretary of Transportation to use existing authorities, programs and funding to assist IVM and pollinator habitat efforts by willing State DOT’s AND adds eligibility for pollinator habitat to a key eligibility account.
  • Over 250 national, regional, and local organizations and 2,800 American scientists and individuals from all walks of life across the nation signed a petition in support of such legislation. For more information, go to http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm.
  • The Hartzler (MO)-Hudson (NC) amendment would eliminate funding for vegetation management.

 

R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Director of Public Policy

Pollinator Partnership

Cell: (703) 509-4746

TVA@pollinator.org