Bill Summary
The Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021 is a proposed bill that aims to reduce bird fatalities resulting from collisions with public buildings. It would amend title 40 of the United States Code to direct the Administrator of General Services to incorporate bird-safe features, practices, and strategies in the construction, alteration, and acquisition of public buildings. The bill also requires the development of a design guide to reduce bird fatalities, the dissemination of this guide to federal agencies, and regular updates to the guide. Certain buildings, such as those listed on the National Register of Historic Places, would be exempt from these requirements. The Administrator would also be required to submit a report to Congress on the number of bird fatalities and the use of the design guide by federal agencies.
Possible Impacts
1. Bird enthusiasts may see an increase in bird populations and diversity around public buildings as a result of the design guide and best practices for reducing bird fatalities.
2. Federal agencies may face additional costs and resources in implementing bird-safe features and practices in the construction and maintenance of public buildings.
3. Architects and designers may need to incorporate bird-safe features and practices in their plans and designs for public buildings, potentially impacting the overall aesthetic and functionality of the building.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 791 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 791
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
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 ``Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of
2021''.
SEC. 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:
``Sec. 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.''.
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