Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and South Dakota’s U.S. Senator Mike Rounds partnered with U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Blake Moore (R-UT-01), and Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) to introduce new bipartisan legislation to support pollinator-friendly habitats along roads and highways in states across America.
The Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act builds upon the success of Merkley’s bipartisan Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act—which he led with Rounds and was signed into law as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The bipartisan Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act expands grant eligibility to non-profit organizations, increases application efficiency and award amounts, and reauthorizes the program until fiscal year 2031.
“Monarchs and pollinators are in grave danger, and we must do everything we can to help them thrive. As their populations decline at an alarming rate, we don’t just risk losing these beautiful creatures—we also face an existential threat to American agriculture, our planet, and food supply,” said Merkley. “Our bipartisan Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act is a common-sense idea to help states across the nation further transform thousands of miles of green space around roads and highways into natural pollinator habitat, a win-win for pollinator populations and our communities.”
“Pollinators play a vital role in putting food on the table, from our native prairies to productive cropland,” said Rounds. “Our legislation would improve natural habitats for pollinators so they can continue to support agriculture and healthy landscapes for generations to come.”
“The western monarch butterfly faces a significant chance of extinction in the next few decades, which is why we must act now to protect our pollinators,” said Panetta. “The Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act improves on the grants Senator Merkley and I secured in the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Actto carry out pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highways by expanding eligibility to non-profit organizations. Protecting our pollinators is a matter of environmental responsibility and agricultural resilience, and I’m committed to ensuring we do our part to save the species so central to the history and character of our home.”
“I’m excited to support this bill for reasons that go beyond my roots in the Beehive State,” said Moore. “It’s a strong example of putting public rights-of-way to good use. By planting native vegetation along roads and highways, we can enhance our landscapes while supporting healthy pollinator populations. I’m proud to work with my friend, Rep. Panetta, to extend this program.”
“Monarch butterflies and other pollinators are declining across the country — including here on the Central Coast, where the City of Goleta recently counted only two monarchs in its annual survey,” said Carbajal. “The bipartisan Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act is an important step forward in our work to protect and restore pollinator habitats.”
The bipartisan Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act is endorsed by Environment America, Natural Resources Defense Council, Xerces Society, Center for Biological Diversity, and Garden Club of America.
“Bees, monarch butterflies and other pollinators fill our skies with color, our stomachs with food and our hearts with awe – but these winged miracles are disappearing rapidly. In some cases, their populations have dropped more than 90%. We need to create more safe places for bees and butterflies to thrive by planting native, flowering plants in all 50 states, which is why it’s urgent Congress pass the Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act,” said Lisa Frank, executive director, Environment America.
“Bees and other pollinators, reeling from toxic pesticide use and other stressors, have never been more in need of safe, high-quality habitat for food and shelter,” said Daniel Raichel, Director of NRDC’s (Natural Resources Defense Council’s) Pollinators and Pesticides Initiative. “An extension of the roadside pollinator habitat program would help lower maintenance costs, enhance our country’s natural beauty, and provide critical protection for our imperiled pollinators.”
“Passing the Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act would be a win for pollinators and for all of us who drive our highways”, said Scott Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “It will provide essential flowers that feed monarchs and other pollinators while helping beautify roadways across America.”
“Land along America’s roadways is increasingly recognized as important – and beautiful – habitat for imperiled pollinators,” said Mary Harman, Garden Club of America President. “In fact, some of America’s last remaining prairie remnants adorn thousands of miles of our nation’s roadways, and we are wise to care for and expand them. These thousands of miles of prairie strips support our pollinators, strengthen agriculture and preserve America’s rich, diverse ecological heritage. We thank Representative Panetta and Senator Merkley for introducing this important legislation.”
For years, Merkley has led the charge to revive the populations of monarchs and other pollinators, like honeybees. He leads the Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat (MONARCH) Act with Panetta to help prevent the extinction of the Western Monarch butterfly and other critically important pollinators. Merkley has also hosted Monarch Butterfly Summits, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior, the first of which announced a $1 million investment in the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Pollinator Fund and established a Pollinator Conservation Center at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As former Chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Interior Department, Merkley has secured more than $18 million in dedicated funding for monarch and pollinator conservation.
Full text of the Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act can be found by clicking here.