[Pollinator] News Flash! Pollinator Roadsides Provision Included in House Transportation Bill-Thanks to Rep Jeff Denham (C-CA), CP2C Co-Chair!

Fri Oct 23 08:57:51 PDT 2015

p2-logo-final2.jpg

Pollinator Roadsides Provision Included in House Transportation Bill

The Pollinator Partnership (P2) applauds Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) for taking
the lead in getting a key provision encouraging pollinator habitat along
roadsides 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, including Denham's pollinator
roadsides provision, was unanimously approved on October 22 by the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Denham's pollinator roadsides provision 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). 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>
http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm.

IMG_5407"We applaud Rep. Denham for his effective leadership and are very
excited about the prospect of increasing habitat for pollinators," said
Laurie Davies Adams, P2 Executive Director. "This will be a major win for
the states and pollinators."  P2 had expressed strong support to the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leadership for the Denham
provision.

"The bill gives states the ability to reduce roadside maintenance costs
while providing better habitat for pollinators, including honey bees-similar
to the efforts farmers already make to be good conservationists while they
produce our food. Our pollinators are crucial to the strength of our
communities and success of our agricultural industry," noted Denham. "The
Pollinator Partnership has been an excellent partner in growing
understanding and support for our provision."

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's action for pollinators is
a major benchmark in the 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 cash-strapped 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. The
Denham provision directs the Secretary of Transportation to use existing
authorities, programs and funding to assist IVM and pollinator habitat
efforts by willing State DOT's. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) secured a
pollinator roadsides provision included in the transportation
reauthorization bill passed earlier this year by the full Senate.

Earlier this week, Rep. Denham received a special 2015 Pollinator Advocate
Award for his leadership on pollinator issues in the Congress from the North
American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) at a VIP reception in
Washington, DC. "Rep. Denham richly deserves this special award for his
leadership on pollinator issues," said Davies Adams. NAPPC convened for the
15th year at the U.S. Department of Interior on October 20-22, and task
forces committed to a number of consensus-based, collaborative projects over
the coming year to benefit pollinators.

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Text Box: L-R: Gene Brandi, Los Banos, CA, VP, American Beekeeping
Federation; Rep. Jeff Denham (CA); Laurie Davies Adams, Exec Dir, Pollinator
Partnership

ABOUT THE POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP (P2) 

Established in 1997, the Pollinator Partnership is the largest 501(c) 3
non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the health, protection, and
conservation of all pollinating animals. Pollinators, like bees,
butterflies, birds and other animals, bring us one in every three bites of
food, protect our environment. They form the underpinnings of a healthy and
sustainable future.  P2 manages NAPPC, a collaborative effort of over 120
organizations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico whose common goal is to
promote awareness of the essential role that pollinators play in food
systems and ecosystems, and to provide the public with simple, effective
ways to engage in environmental stewardship. P2's science-based actions for
pollinators include education, conservation, restoration, policy, and
research. For more information, visit  <http://www.pollinator.org>
www.pollinator.org.  

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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