Support Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment
Pollinator Protection Act (Highways BEE Act)

About this petition:

Highways BEE Act:  H.R. 2738 was introduced by Reps Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Jeff Denham (R-CA) on June 11 and is strongly supported by the Pollinator Partnership (P2).  Hastings and Denham are co-chairs of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C). 

GROUP LETTER IN SUPPORT OF HIGHWAYS BEE ACT

The undersigned support H.R. 2738, the Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Pollinator Protection Act (Highways BEE Act). 

Pollinators, such as honey bees and native pollinators, birds, bats, and butterflies, are essential to healthy ecosystems and are vital partners in American agriculture.  Honey bees, monarch butterflies and other native pollinators are suffering drastic population losses, due in part to loss of habitat.

Highway right-of-ways (ROWs) managed by State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) represent about 17 million acres of opportunity where significant economic and conservation/environmental benefits can be achieved through integrated vegetation management (IVM) practices, that can—

  • Significantly reduce mowing and maintenance costs for State DOTs, and
  • Help create habitat, forage and migratory corridors that will contribute to the health of honey bees, monarch butterflies and other native pollinators, as well as ground nesting birds and other small wildlife. 

Neighboring agricultural lands and wildlife ecosystems will benefit through improved pollination services.

The Highways BEE Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to use existing authorities, programs and funding to encourage and facilitate IVM and pollinator habitat efforts by willing State DOTs and other transportation ROWs managers, building on innovative IVM efforts in a growing number of State DOTs.

Background

In Brief:  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. H.R. 2738 promotes conservation practices on 17 million acres of highway rights-of-way (ROWs) by encouraging willing State DOTs to reduce mowing and plant for pollinators, providing improved habitat for pollinators, ground nesting birds and other small wildlife.  The goal is to get an amendment based on the Highways BEE Act in that important legislation.		  

VICTORY!  POLLINATOR ROADSIDES PROVISION NOW LAW OF THE LAND!  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Watch for additional action requests as we work with State Department of Transportation.

POLLINATOR ACTION REQUEST

You can help honey bees, monarch butterflies and other pollinators by signing on to group letter as ORGANIZATION and/or as INDIVIDUAL.

 

Pollinator Roadsides Provision in FAST Act

HR 2738 Bill Text

P2 Summary-Highways BEE Act

Sen. Gillibrand Amendment to DRIVE Act

P2 Media Release [NEW]

Group Petition, Organization Signatories to Date

Group Petition, Organization & Individual Signatories to Date

250+ national, state and local organizations and businesses and 2,800 researchers and other individuals from all walks of life, across the nation, have signed the petition in support of this legislation since it was first introduced in 2011. 

National Organizations & Businesses Signed On to Date:

Pollinator Partnership
American Beekeeping Federation
American Farmland Trust
American Forests
American Honey Producers Association
American Horticulture Industry Association (AmericanHort)
American Seed Trade Association
American Society of Landscape Architects
Applewood Seed Company
Bee Culture Magazine
Bee Health at eXtension.org
Blue Diamond Growers
Burt's Bees
Center for Food Safety
Defenders of Wildlife
DuPont Pioneer
Entomological Society of America
Ernst Conservation Seeds
Great Sunflower Project
Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream, Nestle Dreyer's Ice Cream
Jarden Corporation
Jasper Wyman & Son
Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Monarch Watch
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Farmers Union
National Gardening Association
National Pest Management Association
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Natural Resources Defense Council
Professional Landcare Network
Project Apis m.
Saint Louis Zoo
Society of American Florists
Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC
The Xerces Society
Toyota
U.S. Apple Association
United Fresh Produce Association
Waste Management
Wildlife Habitat Council

CLICK HERE to view COMMENTS made about the Highways BEE Act by nearly 1,000 supporters.  What is your favorite?