Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Pollinator Protection Act

Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Pollinator Protection Act

This bill authorizes as an eligible project cost for the construction of a federal-aid highway the cost of improving habitat and forage for pollinators (i.e., bees, birds, bats, Monarch and other butterflies) on rights-of-way adjacent to such highways.

The Department of Transportation, in conjunction with willing states, shall carry out programs that encourage:

• integrated vegetation management practices on roadsides and other transportation rights-of-way, including reduced mowing;
• the development of habitat and forage for pollinators through planting of native forbs and grasses, including noninvasive, native milkweed species;
• research and demonstration projects on economic and environmental benefits and best practices for integrated vegetation management, reduced mowing, and planting of native forbs and grasses for pollinator habitat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch butterflies and other migrating pollinators; and
• participation in such activities by representatives of transportation landscape management, pollinator health, agriculture, horticulture, and other affected communities.

Federal funds may be used for the provision of habitat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees that is related to a federally-funded highway project.