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

As part of Happy Tonics efforts to work on behalf of pollinators, we are publishing Pollinator Partnership’s Group Letter that supports the BEES Act. You can sign on as an individual, organization or business. Pollinator Partnership is trying to get the House Resolution introduced. This is important because pollinators are in crisis with 40 – 90 percent decline. The Monarch Butterfly has only a five percent survival rate in 2013. Please sign the letter at http://pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm.

One out of every three bites of food requires pollination!

PETITION LETTER

HIGHWAYS BETTERING THE ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT ACT
The undersigned support H.R. 2381, the Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Act (Highways BEE Act).

 The Highways BEE Act proposes significant economic and conservation benefits that can be achieved through integrated vegetation management (IVM) practices on Federal and state highway right-of-ways (ROWs) managed by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs).

These areas represent about 17 million acres of opportunity where significant reductions in mowing and maintenance can reduce costs for cash-strapped State DOTs.

 Reductions in roadside mowing, combined with enhanced plantings of native forbs and grasses, can provide economic benefits, reduced carbon emissions, and critical habitat for pollinators, ground nesting birds and other small wildlife.

Pollinators, such as bees, birds, bats, and butterflies, are essential to healthy ecosystems and are vital partners in American agriculture. Pollinators are suffering drastic population loss, due in part to loss of habitat. In addition, neighboring agricultural lands and wildlife ecosystems will benefit from improved pollination services.

This legislation supports and builds on innovative IVM efforts in a growing number of State DOT’s by directing the Secretary of Transportation to use existing authorities, programs and funding to encourage and facilitate efforts by States and other transportation ROWs managers, to adopt IVM practices, including reduced mowing and enhanced native plantings that provide multiple fiscal, safety and aesthetic benefits while also promoting habitat and migratory corridors for pollinators, ground nesting birds and other small wildlife.

For further information contact Tom Van Arsdall, Pollinator Partnership Public Affairs Director at tva@pollinator.org or 703-509-4746.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]