This bill creates four separate conservation funds and grant programs. Each fund is for a different group: butterflies in North America; plants in the Pacific Islands; freshwater mussels in the United States; and desert fish in the Southwest. The Secretary of the Interior would run the programs, give competitive grants, and set rules for projects. The bill defines eligible applicants, project requirements, priorities, and reporting.
If you are a State or Tribal agency, research institution, nonprofit, or another group with conservation expertise, you can apply for competitive grants. Federal agencies cannot be the lead recipient or get funding, but they can be partners. Project applications must describe goals, methods, staffing, budgets, timelines, expected outcomes, and how the project will help threatened or endangered species. Projects should involve local stakeholders and, when needed, show free, informed, and prior consent from indigenous communities.
Each of the four titles authorizes $5,000,000 per fiscal year for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to carry out that title. Each Fund is a separate Treasury account. The Secretary may spend the greater of 3 percent of each Fund or $80,000 per year from that Fund for administrative expenses. Funds may earn interest through investment in interest-bearing U.S. obligations. The Secretary may also accept gifts or donations for each Fund.
According to the bill text, the purposes are to help conserve and sustain healthy populations of the covered species, assist recovery of threatened and endangered species, provide financial resources for conservation projects, and promote long-term and cooperative conservation efforts (including international cooperation for the North America butterfly program).
No publicly available information.