Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Pollinator Protection Act

Summary: Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Pollinator Protection Act - Authorizes as an eligible project cost for the construction of a federal-aid highway the cost of improving habitat and forage for pollinators (i.e. bees, birds, bats, Monarch butterflies, and other butterflies) on rights-of-way adjacent to such highways. Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), in conjunction with willing states, to carry out programs that encourage: (1) integrated vegetation management practices on roadsides and other transportation rights-of-ways, including reduced mowing; (2) the development of habitat and forage for pollinators through planting of native forbs and grasses, including noninvasive, native milkweed species; and (3) research and demonstration projects on economic and environmental benefits and best practices for integrated vegetation management, reduced mowing, and planting of native forbs and grasses for pollinator habitat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch butterflies and other migrating pollinators. Authorizes the use of federal funds for the provision of habitat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees that is related to a federally-funded transportation project.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Highways Bettering the Economy and 
Environment Pollinator Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The roadside vegetation management practices of both 
        State governments and the Federal Government aim to secure 
        motorist safety, reduce the presence of noxious weeds, and 
        stabilize the soil.
            (2) Federal and State highway departments are facing severe 
        budget shortfalls.
            (3) Native forbs and grasses are less likely to encroach 
        onto roads than invasive species, such as kudzu.
            (4) Integrated vegetation management practices will reduce 
        the cost of maintaining roadside vegetation.
            (5) Native forbs and grasses are best adapted to local 
        conditions and thus require less active management, reducing 
        the need to replant, weed, and mow the areas adjacent to the 
        road.
            (6) Pollinators, such as native bees, honey bees, birds, 
        bats, Monarch butterflies, and other butterflies, are suffering 
        drastic population loss due in part to loss of habitat and 
        forage.
            (7) Pollinators are vital for American agriculture. 
        Responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat, a 
        diverse pollinator population is necessary for maintaining the 
        diversity of our plant life and food supply.
            (8) Studies have shown supporting native forbs and grasses 
        along the roadside can be beneficial to the pollinator 
        population by providing migratory corridors and habitat and 
        forage connectivity and by helping such populations adapt to 
        climate change.
            (9) Plantings of noninvasive, locally appropriate milkweed 
        species can create migratory way stations for the endangered 
        Monarch butterfly and to facilitate migrations of other 
        pollinators.
            (10) Enhancing pollinator populations on rights-of-way can 
        result in improved pollination services for neighboring lands, 
        including agriculture and wildlife ecosystems.
            (11) Highway rights-of-way managed by States represent 17 
        million acres of pollinator habitat conservation opportunity, 
        and similar opportunities and benefits exist on other 
        transportation rights-of-way.

SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS TO ENCOURAGE POLLINATOR HABITAT AND 
              FORAGE ON TRANSPORTATION RIGHTS-OF-WAY.

    (a) In General.--Section 319 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``beauty adjacent'' and 
        inserting ``beauty (including the enhancement of habitat and 
        forage for pollinators) adjacent''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Encouragement of Pollinator Habitat and Forage Development 
and Protection on Transportation Rights-of-Way.--In carrying out any 
program administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall, in 
conjunction with willing States, as appropriate--
            ``(1) conduct or encourage integrated vegetation management 
        practices on roadsides and other transportation rights-of-way, 
        including reduced mowing;
            ``(2) enhance the development of habitat and forage for 
        Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees 
        through plantings of native forbs and grasses, including 
        noninvasive, native milkweed species that can serve as 
        migratory way stations for the endangered Monarch butterfly and 
        to facilitate migrations of other pollinators.
            ``(3) encourage leveraging through partnerships and 
        coordination with stakeholders in support of pollinators and 
        plantings of native forbs and grasses, such as environmental 
        groups, research institutions, other agencies, businesses, and 
        community organizations; and
            ``(4) conduct or facilitate research and demonstration 
        projects on the economic and environmental benefits and best 
        practices for integrated vegetation management, reduced mowing, 
        and plantings of native forbs and grasses for pollinator 
        habitat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch 
        butterflies and other migrating pollinators.''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall transmit to Congress 
a report that includes--
            (1) an analysis of current programs and authorities 
        available to carry out section 319(c) of title 23, United 
        States Code;
            (2) a summary of programs and authorities being used to 
        implement such section;
            (3) an assessment of actions being taken by willing State 
        transportation departments and other managers of transportation 
        rights-of-way to implement integrated vegetation management 
        practices, reduce mowing, and enhance habitat and forage for 
        Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees 
        through plantings of native forbs and grasses and migratory way 
        stations for Monarch butterflies and other migrating 
        pollinators; and
            (4) any recommendations for further action.

SEC. 4. PROVISION OF HABITAT, FORAGE, AND MIGRATORY WAY STATIONS FOR 
              MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, OTHER NATIVE POLLINATORS, AND HONEY 
              BEES.

    Section 329(a)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``provision of habitat, forage, and migratory way stations 
for Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees,'' 
before ``and aesthetic enhancement''.