Bill Summary
The Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act of 2020, also known as the MONARCH Act, is a bill that aims to protect and restore the population of western monarch butterflies in the United States. The bill recognizes the significant decline in the monarch butterfly population due to factors such as drought, loss of habitat, and climate change. It also acknowledges the importance of conserving these butterflies for their role as pollinators and their impact on other ecosystems. The bill establishes a Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund to provide grants for projects that promote the conservation of western monarch butterflies. It also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide technical assistance and submit annual reports on the status of western monarch butterflies to Congress. Additionally, the bill authorizes the transfer of funds to implement the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan developed by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Possible Impacts
1) The implementation of this legislation could result in increased funding and resources for conservation efforts, which could positively impact the lives of people who live in or near areas where western monarch butterflies breed and overwinter. This could lead to improved habitats and ecosystem health, potentially benefiting local communities and industries such as agriculture and tourism.
2) The inclusion of community outreach and education in the definition of conservation could increase public awareness and involvement in conservation efforts, potentially empowering individuals and communities to take action and make a positive impact on the population of western monarch butterflies.
3) The requirement for project proposals to demonstrate a likelihood of contributing to the conservation of western monarch butterfly populations in the wild could limit the potential negative impacts on industries or practices that may conflict with conservation efforts, ensuring that the legislation does not have unintended consequences on people's livelihoods.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3304 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3304
To encourage and facilitate efforts by States and other stakeholders to
conserve and sustain the western population of monarch butterflies, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 13, 2020
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Ms. Harris, Mr. Booker, Mr. Whitehouse, and
Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To encourage and facilitate efforts by States and other stakeholders to
conserve and sustain the western population of monarch butterflies, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Monarch Action, Recovery, and
Conservation of Habitat Act of 2020'' or the ``MONARCH Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the population of western monarch butterflies is at
imminent risk of extinction;
(2) over the past 3 decades, the population of western
monarch butterflies has declined by more than 99 percent due to
prolonged drought, loss of milkweed and native pollinator
habitat, loss of breeding and overwintering habitat, and
climate change;
(3) in 2019, the population of western monarch butterflies
maintained a historic low of approximately 29,000 butterflies,
falling below the predicted extinction threshold;
(4) the extinction of the population of migratory western
monarch butterflies is now likely to occur within the next 2
decades if urgent action is not taken;
(5) actively restoring native milkweed and nectar plants,
monarch overwintering habitat, and other pollinator habitat,
and ensuring that key habitats are protected from destruction,
are critical to ensuring the survival of western monarch
butterflies and can also help facilitate conservation of other
essential pollinators; and
(6) enhancing pollinator populations can result in improved
pollination services for neighboring land, including
agriculture and wildlife ecosystems.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Conservation.--The term ``conservation'' means the use
of each method or procedure necessary to protect habitats of
western monarch butterflies, including--
(A) the protection, restoration, and management of
overwintering, breeding, and migratory habitats;
(B) assistance in the development and
implementation of national, regional, State, and local
conservation and management plans; and
(C) community outreach and education.
(2) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Western Monarch
Butterfly Rescue Fund established by section 5(a).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(4) Western monarch butterfly.--The term ``western monarch
butterfly'' means the monarch butterfly population that
overwinters along the coast of the State of California and
breeds across the States of California, Arizona, Nevada,
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.
SEC. 4. WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of funds and in
consultation with other Federal officials, the Secretary of Agriculture
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall use amounts in
the Fund to provide grants for projects for the conservation of western
monarch butterflies for which project proposals are approved by the
Secretary in accordance with this section.
(b) Project Proposals.--
(1) Eligible entities.--An entity that is eligible to
receive a grant for a project under this section is--
(A) a relevant local or Tribal government agency,
research institution, or nonprofit organization with
expertise required for the conservation of western
monarch butterflies; and
(B) any other entity, as determined appropriate by
the Secretary, with the expertise required for the
conservation of western monarch butterflies.
(2) Federal partnership opportunities.--A State or Federal
agency--
(A) may not be a lead entity or receive a grant for
a project under this section; but
(B) may be included as a partner or collaborator on
a project that receives a grant under this section.
(3) Required elements.--A proposal for a project under this
section shall include--
(A) a statement of the purposes of the project;
(B) the name of the entity with overall
responsibility for the project;
(C) a description of--
(i) the qualifications of the entity that
will conduct the project;
(ii) methods for project implementation and
outcome assessment; and
(iii) anticipated outcomes;
(D) assurances that the project will be implemented
in consultation with relevant wildlife management
authorities, Indian Tribes, and other appropriate local
government, State government, and Federal Government
officials;
(E) assurances that the conservation efforts
outlined in the proposal do not conflict with food
safety measures or practices;
(F) information that demonstrates the clear
potential of the project to contribute to the
conservation and recovery of western monarch
butterflies; and
(G) such other information as the Secretary may
require.
(c) Project Review and Approval.--The Secretary shall annually--
(1) solicit project proposals for funding under this
section; and
(2) review each proposal described in paragraph (1) on a
timeline that recognizes the urgency of the declining number of
western monarch butterflies to determine whether the proposal
meets the criteria specified in subsection (d).
(d) Criteria for Approval.--The Secretary may approve a project
proposal under this section if the proposal demonstrates a likelihood
that the project will contribute to the conservation of western monarch
butterfly populations in the wild.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance for a project that receives a grant under this section.
(f) Project Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Each entity that receives a grant for a
project under this section shall submit to the Secretary, at
such intervals as the Secretary may require, reports that
include any information that the Secretary determines is
necessary to evaluate the progress and success of the project
for the purposes of ensuring positive results, assessing
problems, and fostering improvements.
(2) Availability to state legislatures.--Each entity that
receives a grant for a project under this section shall submit
each report under paragraph (1) to the State legislature of the
State in which the project is conducted.
(3) Availability to the public.--The Secretary shall make
available to the public, in a timely manner--
(A) each report submitted under paragraph (1); and
(B) any other documents relating to projects for
which a grant is provided under this section.
SEC. 5. WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY RESCUE FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the
United States a fund, to be known as the ``Western Monarch Butterfly
Rescue Fund''.
(b) Administrative Expenses.--Of the amounts available in the Fund
for each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not more than 3 percent
to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry out this Act.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Fund $12,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021
through 2025.
SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WESTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION
PLAN.
Of amounts available to the Secretary that are not otherwise
obligated, the Secretary shall transfer to the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation $12,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through
2025 to facilitate the implementation of the Western Monarch Butterfly
Conservation Plan prepared by the Western Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies and dated January 2019.
SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than January 31 of each year, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the status of
western monarch butterflies, including, with respect to the year for
which the report is submitted--
(1) a summary of the projects for which the Secretary of
Agriculture has provided funding under section 4 and an
evaluation of those projects; and
(2) a summary of the projects for which the Secretary has
provided funding through the Western Monarch Butterfly
Conservation Plan prepared by the Western Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies and dated January 2019.
(b) Provision of Information by the Department of the Interior.--To
facilitate the preparation of each report under subsection (a), the
Secretary of Agriculture shall provide to the Secretary information
relating to projects described in paragraph (1) of that subsection.
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