Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2021

Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2021 or the MPH Act of 2021

This bill requires the Department of Transportation to provide grants to states, Indian tribes, and federal land management agencies to carry out pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rights-of-way, including the planting and seeding of native, locally-appropriate grasses, wildflowers, and milkweed.

Bill 117 HR 1982, also known as the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2021, aims to address the decline in monarch butterfly and pollinator populations by establishing a program to create habitat corridors along highways. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 18, 2021, by Representative Alcee Hastings of Florida.

The Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2021 would require the Secretary of Transportation to work with the Secretary of the Interior and other relevant agencies to develop a plan for planting native vegetation and wildflowers along highways to provide food and habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. The bill also calls for the creation of a grant program to assist states in implementing these habitat corridors.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the habitat corridors in supporting monarch butterfly and pollinator populations. It also directs the Secretary of Transportation to consult with experts and stakeholders in developing and implementing the program. Overall, the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2021 seeks to address the decline in monarch butterfly and pollinator populations by creating habitat corridors along highways, providing food and shelter for these important species. The bill aims to promote biodiversity and support the health of ecosystems while also benefiting agriculture and other industries that rely on pollinators for crop production.