This bill would create the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund in the U.S. Treasury and set up a grant program to conserve the western population of monarch butterflies and other pollinators in their range. The Secretary of the Interior would run the grant program, set project rules, and give technical help. The bill also requires annual public reports and directs the Secretary to work with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to update and carry out the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan (January 2019).
If you are part of a local or Tribal agency, a research institution, or a nonprofit with conservation expertise, you could apply for grants to restore milkweed, nectar plants, and overwintering or breeding habitat. Federal agencies cannot be the lead grantee but can be partners. Project reports must be shared with the public and, if a Governor asks, with that State legislature. The bill aims to support on-the-ground habitat work and community outreach.
The bill authorizes $12,500,000 to be appropriated each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 for deposit into the Rescue Fund, and an additional $12,500,000 each year from 2026 through 2030 to carry out the conservation plan with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Secretary may use up to 3 percent of amounts in the Fund each year for administrative expenses. The grant program is subject to the availability of funds. No publicly available information on total federal cost estimates or budget offsets is included in the bill text.
The bill's findings say the western monarch population has declined sharply and faces imminent risk of extinction. It states numbers fell by more than 99 percent over three decades and hit record lows in recent years. The findings emphasize that restoring native milkweed, nectar plants, and overwintering and breeding habitat and protecting key sites are critical to survival. The bill also notes that improving pollinator habitat can help other pollinators and local pollination services.
No publicly available information.