Oregon Senator Wants To See Pollinator Habitat Expanded

Oregon’s Jeff Merkley, along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including South Dakota’s Mike Rounds California's Jimmy Panetta and Salud Carbajal, as well as Utah's Blake Moore introduced legislation Monday supporting pollinator-friendly habitats along roads and highways nationwide.

The Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act builds upon the bipartisan Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act, which was signed into law as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  The 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,” Merkley said. “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," Panetta noted.  "The Roadside Pollinator Program Amendments Act improves on the grants Senator Merkley and I secured in the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act to 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,” Carbajal said. “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.

Click Here to read the legislation.

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