I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2738 
To amend title 23, United States Code, to encourage and facilitate efforts 
by States and other transportation rights-of-way managers to adopt 
integrated vegetation management practices, including enhancing plant-
ings of native forbs and grasses that provide habitats and forage for 
Monarch butterflies, native bees, and other native pollinators, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2015 
Mr. HASTINGS (for himself, Mr. DENHAM, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. CONYERS, and 
Ms. PINGREE) 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 
rights-of-way managers to adopt integrated vegetation 
management practices, including enhancing plantings of 
native forbs and grasses that provide habitats and forage 
for Monarch butterflies, native bees, and other native 
pollinators, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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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 prac-
tices of both State governments and the Federal 
Government aim to secure motorist safety, reduce 
the presence of noxious weeds, manage stormwater 
runoff, and stabilize the soil. 
(2) Native forbs and grasses are less likely to 
encroach onto roads than invasive species, such as 
kudzu. 
(3) Integrated vegetation management practices 
could reduce the cost of maintaining roadside vege-
tation. 
(4) Native forbs and grasses are better adapted 
to local conditions and thus require less active man-
agement, reducing the need to replant, weed, and 
mow the areas adjacent to the road. 
(5) Pollinators, such as native bees, honey bees, 
birds, bats, Monarch butterflies, and other butter-
flies, are suffering drastic population loss. 
(6) Pollinators are vital for American agri-
culture. 
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(7) Responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of 
food we eat, a diverse pollinator population is nec-
essary 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 cor-
ridors and habitat and forage connectivity. 
(9) Plantings of noninvasive, locally appropriate 
milkweed species can create migratory way stations 
for the endangered Monarch butterfly and can facili-
tate migrations of other pollinators. 
(10) Enhancing pollinator populations on 
rights-of-way can result in improved pollination serv-
ices for neighboring lands, including agriculture and 
wildlife ecosystems. 
(11) Highway rights-of-way managed by States 
represent 17,000,000 acres of pollinator habitat con-
servation 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— 
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(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘beauty adja-
cent’’ and inserting ‘‘beauty (including the enhance-
ment of habitat and forage for pollinators) adja-
cent’’; 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 trans-
portation rights-of-way, including reduced mowing; 
‘‘(2) enhance the development of habitat and 
forage for Monarch butterflies, other native polli-
nators, and honey bees through plantings of native 
forbs and grasses, including noninvasive, native 
milkweed species that can serve as migratory way 
stations for butterflies and can facilitate migrations 
of other pollinators; 
‘‘(3) encourage leveraging through partnerships 
and coordination with stakeholders in support of pol-
linators and plantings of native forbs and grasses, 
such as environmental groups, research institutions, 
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other agencies, businesses, and community organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(4) conduct or facilitate research and dem-
onstration projects on the economic and environ-
mental benefits and best practices for integrated 
vegetation management, reduced mowing, and plant-
ings of native forbs and grasses for pollinator habi-
tat, forage, and migratory way stations for Monarch 
butterflies and other migrating pollinators; and 
‘‘(5) solicit participation in any activities out-
lined under paragraphs (1) through (4), by rep-
resentatives of transportation landscape manage-
ment, pollinator health, agriculture, horticulture, 
and other affected communities.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall transmit to Congress a report that includes— 
(1) an analysis of current programs and au-
thorities 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 imple-
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ment 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; 
(4) a summary of Department of Transpor-
tation funds expended for activities undertaken pur-
suant to such section; and 
(5) 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 na-
tive pollinators, and honey bees,’’ before ‘‘and aesthetic 
enhancement’’. 
Æ 
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