This bill seeks to enhance and reauthorize the existing program for promoting pollinator-friendly practices along highways and rights-of-way. It expands the types of entities eligible to participate, specifically including nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The bill also refines consultation requirements, mandating engagement with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for certain activities and specifying that consultation with Indian Tribes is necessary if their land is within 50 miles of a proposed project. To further support these initiatives, the legislation substantially increases the financial resources available. The maximum grant amount for individual projects is raised from $150,000 to $500,000 . Furthermore, the bill reauthorizes annual appropriations for the program, boosting funding from $2,000,000 to $5,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031, thereby strengthening efforts to create and maintain vital pollinator habitats.
This bill seeks to enhance and reauthorize the existing program for promoting pollinator-friendly practices along highways and rights-of-way. It expands the types of entities eligible to participate, specifically including nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The bill also refines consultation requirements, mandating engagement with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for certain activities and specifying that consultation with Indian Tribes is necessary if their land is within 50 miles of a proposed project. To further support these initiatives, the legislation substantially increases the financial resources available. The maximum grant amount for individual projects is raised from $150,000 to $500,000 . Furthermore, the bill reauthorizes annual appropriations for the program, boosting funding from $2,000,000 to $5,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031, thereby strengthening efforts to create and maintain vital pollinator habitats.