I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2381 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to encourage and facilitate efforts 

by States and other transportation right-of-way managers to adopt integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing plantings 

of native forbs and grasses that provide habitats for pollinators, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 24, 2011 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. BLUMENAUER, and Mr. BOSWELL) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to encourage and 

facilitate efforts by States and other transportation rightof-way managers to adopt integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing plantings of native 

forbs and grasses that provide habitats for pollinators, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Highways Bettering 

5 the Economy and Environment Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) The roadside vegetation management prac4 tices of both State governments and the Federal 

5 Government aim to secure motorist safety, reduce 

6 the presence of noxious weeds, and stabilize the soil. 

7 (2) Federal and State highway departments are 

8 facing severe budget shortfalls. 

9 (3) Native forbs and grasses are less likely to 

10 encroach onto roads than invasive species, such as 

11 kudzu. 

12 (4) Integrated vegetation management practices 

13 will reduce the cost of maintaining roadside vegeta14 tion. 

15 (5) Native forbs and grasses are best adapted 

16 to local conditions and thus require less active man17 agement, reducing the need to replant, weed, and 

18 mow the areas adjacent to the road. 

19 (6) Pollinators, such as bees, birds, bats, and 

20 butterflies, are suffering drastic population loss, due 

21 in part to loss of habitat. 

22 (7) Pollinators are vital for American agri23 culture. Responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of 

24 food we eat, a diverse pollinator population is nec25 essary for maintaining the diversity of our plant life 

26 and food supply. 


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1 (8) Studies have shown supporting native forbs 

2 and grasses along the roadside can be beneficial to 

3 the pollinator population by providing migratory cor4 ridors and habitat connectivity and by helping such 

5 populations adapt to climate change. 

6 (9) Enhancing pollinator populations on rights7 of-way can result in improved pollination services for 

8 neighboring lands, including agriculture and wildlife 

9 ecosystems. 

10 (10) Highway rights-of-way managed by States 

11 represent 17 million acres of pollinator habitat con12 servation opportunity, and similar opportunities and 

13 benefits exist on other transportation rights-of-way. 

14 SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS TO ENCOURAGE 

15 POLLINATOR HABITAT ON TRANSPORTATION 

16 RIGHTS-OF-WAY. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 319 of title 23, United 

18 States Code, is amended— 

19 (1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘beauty adja20 cent’’ and inserting ‘‘beauty (including the enhance21 ment of habitat for pollinators) adjacent’’; and 

22 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘(c) ENCOURAGEMENT OF POLLINATOR HABITAT

24 DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION ON TRANSPORTATION

25 RIGHTS-OF-WAY.—In carrying out any program adminisVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:43 Jul 01, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2381.IH H2381

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1 tered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall, in conjunction 

2 with the States, as appropriate— 

3 ‘‘(1) conduct or encourage integrated vegetation 

4 management practices on roadsides and other trans5 portation rights-of-way, including reduced mowing; 

6 ‘‘(2) enhance the development of habitat for 

7 pollinators through plantings of native forbs and 

8 grasses; 

9 ‘‘(3) encourage leveraging through partnerships 

10 and coordination with stakeholders in support of pol11 linators and plantings of native forbs and grasses, 

12 such as environmental groups, research institutions, 

13 other agencies, businesses, and community organiza14 tions; and 

15 ‘‘(4) conduct or facilitate research and dem16 onstration projects on the economic and environ17 mental benefits and best practices for integrated 

18 vegetation management, reduced mowing, and plant19 ings of native forbs and grasses for pollinator habi20 tat.’’. 

21 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 

22 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor23 tation shall transmit to Congress a report that includes— 


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1 (1) an analysis of current programs and au2 thorities available to carry out section 319(c) of title 

3 23, United States Code; 

4 (2) a summary of programs and authorities 

5 being used to implement such section; 

6 (3) an assessment of actions being taken by 

7 State transportation departments and other man8 agers of transportation rights-of-way to implement 

9 integrated vegetation management practices, reduce 

10 mowing, and enhance habitat for pollinators through 

11 plantings of native forbs and grasses, and 

12 (4) any recommendations for further action. 

13 SEC. 4. PROVISION OF HABITAT FOR POLLINATORS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 329(a)(1) of title 23, 

15 United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘provision 

16 of habitat for pollinators,’’ before ‘‘and aesthetic enhance17 ment’’. 

Æ 


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