[Pollinator] Pollinator Roadsides Provision Now Law of the Land!

[Tom Van Arsdall]

To so many of you who have worked with us over the past 5 years to make this
possible-Thank you.  But we can't rest on our laurels. We will continue
working to help State DoT's take actions to share their landscapes with our
pollinating partners. Watch for future action requests!  RTVA

 

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Pollinator Roadsides Provision Now Law of the Land!

Included in Transportation Bill Signed by the President

 

A key provision encouraging pollinator habitat along roadsides is included
in the "Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act)" [H.R. 22].  

 

The President signed the FAST Act into law Friday evening, providing a
timely exclamation point to the December 3-4 "Transportation Leaders Summit:
Restoring the Nation's Pollinator Habitat," convened by the White House.
The House and Senate overwhelming approved the FAST Act conference report on
Thursday.  

 

"For the first time ever, encouraging pollinator habitat along our nation's
roadsides is the law of the land!  This is a major win for both States and
pollinators," said Laurie Davies Adams, P2 Executive Director. "We look
forward to helping States reduce roadside maintenance costs while providing
better habitat for pollinators." 

 

This is a huge victory for pollinators, culminating a five-year effort by
the Pollinator Partnership to "pollinate" federal transportation law.
Highway right-of-ways managed by State Departments of Transportation (DOT's)
represent 17 million acres of opportunity for States to both save money and
improve pollinator habitat through Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM),
including reduced mowing and strategic plantings of native forbs and
grasses.  Such win-win opportunities are also available for roadsides
managed by counties and municipalities.

 

Section 1415 of the FAST Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to use
existing authorities, programs and funding to assist IVM and pollinator
habitat efforts by willing State DoT's. Language is also added to a key
funding eligibility account, making it clear that actions to provide
"habitat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch butterflies, other
native pollinators, and honey bees" are eligible for funding assistance.

 

This provision is based on H.R. 2738, the Highways BEE Act, which was
introduced prior to 2015 National Pollinator Week by Reps. Jeff Denham
(R-CA) and Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), co-chairs of the Congressional
Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C). Over 250 national, regional, and local
organizations and 3,000 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>
http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) secured
a pollinator roadsides provision based on the Highways Bee Act in the
Senate-passed bill. Denham got the same language in the House-passed bill.  

 

The White House Transportation Summit on pollinator habitat is a key action
implementing the Administration's "National Strategy to Promote the Health
of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators.  "P2 collaborated with leaders of State
Departments of Transportation (DoT's), Administration officials and other
key stakeholders with the shared objective of advancing efforts to expand
and improve pollinator habitat on transportation assets across the Nation. 

 

Tom

 

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

   Pollinator Partnership <http://www.pollinator.org/> 

   Cell:  (703) 509-4746

   TVA at pollinator.org

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 <http://www.pollinator.org/> 

 



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