Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-791
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-03-17
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships

Birds

Building construction

Congressional oversight

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-17
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021</b></p> <p>This bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop and implement strategies for reducing bird fatalities from collisions with public buildings. </p> <p>Specifically, the GSA must incorporate relevant features and strategies into public buildings that are newly constructed, acquired, or substantially altered so as to reduce bird fatalities. The GSA must also develop a related design guide and annually certify its active use. The bill's provisions do not apply to buildings and sites on the National Register of Historic Places, the White House and its grounds, the Supreme Court building and its grounds, or the U.S. Capitol and any buildings on its grounds.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 791 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 17 (legislative day, March 16), 2021 Mr. Booker introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To amend title 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of General Services to incorporate practices and strategies to reduce bird fatalities resulting from collisions with certain public buildings, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021 . 2. Use of bird-safe features, practices, and strategies in public buildings (a) In general Chapter 33 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 3319. Use of bird-safe features, practices, and strategies in public buildings (a) Construction, alteration, and acquisition of public buildings The Administrator of General Services (referred to in this section as the Administrator ) shall incorporate, to the extent practicable, features, practices, and strategies to reduce bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings for each public building— (1) constructed; (2) acquired; or (3) of which more than 50 percent of the facade is substantially altered, as determined by the Commissioner of Public Buildings. (b) Design guide The Administrator shall develop a design guide to carry out subsection (a) that includes the following: (1) Features for reducing bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings throughout all construction phases, taking into account the number of bird fatalities that occur at different types of public buildings. (2) Methods and strategies for reducing bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings during the operation and maintenance of those buildings, including installing interior, exterior, and site lighting. (3) Best practices for reducing bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings, including— (A) a description of the reasons for adopting the practices; and (B) an explanation for the omission of a best practice identified under subsection (c). (c) Identifying best practices To carry out subsection (b)(3), the Administrator may identify best practices for reducing bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings, including best practices recommended by— (1) Federal agencies with expertise in bird conservation; (2) nongovernmental organizations with expertise in bird conservation; and (3) representatives of green building certification systems. (d) Dissemination of design guide The Administrator shall disseminate the design guide developed under subsection (b) to all Federal agencies, subagencies, and departments with independent leasing authority from the Administrator. (e) Update to design guide The Administrator shall, on a regular basis, update the design guide developed under subsection (b) with respect to the priorities of the Administrator for reducing bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings. (f) Exempt buildings This section shall not apply to— (1) any building or site listed, or eligible for listing, on the National Register of Historic Places; (2) the White House and the grounds of the White House; (3) the Supreme Court building and the grounds of the Supreme Court; or (4) the United States Capitol and any building on the grounds of the Capitol. (g) Certification Not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, the Administrator, acting through the Commissioner of Public Buildings, shall certify to Congress that the Administrator uses the design guide developed under subsection (b) for each public building described in subsection (a). (h) Report Not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that includes— (1) the certification under subsection (g); and (2) to the extent practicable, the number of bird fatalities that occurred as a result of a collision with the public buildings occupied by each Federal agency. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 33 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 3319. Use of bird-safe features, practices, and strategies in public buildings. .