Entomological Society of America (ESA) Signs Letter In Support of Highways BEE Act

from ESA Science Policy News: July 1, 2014

ESA Signs Letter In Support of Highways BEE Act
ESA joined 200 organizations and roughly 2,200 researchers as signatories on a letter to support the Highways Bettering the Economy and Environmental Pollinator Protection Act (Highways BEE Act), H.R. 4790. Introduced by Representatives Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Jeff Denham (R-CA), co-chairs of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus, the Highways BEE Act directs the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to use existing programs, funding, and personnel to implement pollinator habitat efforts by interested State DOTs. The Act’s objective is to utilize the nation’s 17 million acres of highway right-of-ways to create habitats and migratory corridors that will contribute to the health of pollinators, while cutting down on maintenance costs. Similar legislation was introduced in 2011 and despite widespread support, the bill failed to become law.
Sources and Additional Information:

• For more information on the Highways BEE Act, including a list of signatories, visit http://pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm.

For the full text of the letter, please see http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/BEEActGroup_Support_Petition-Organizations.pdf