Sponsors (14)
Official title: To create dedicated funds to conserve butterflies in North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest United States, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 15, 2026 by Adelita S. Grijalva · Last progress May 15, 2026
The bill creates four targeted, multiyear grant programs that provide stable federal funding, transparency, and Tribal consultation to accelerate recovery of several at‑risk species, at the trade‑off of modest recurring federal costs, limits on federal agency participation, and potential barriers for under‑resourced applicants due to matching and administrative requirements.
State, Tribal, territorial, local governments, nonprofits, and academic/research groups gain dedicated, multiyear grants (four species/program funds) to carry out on-the-ground restoration, recovery, monitoring, and enforcement for threatened butterflies, Pacific Islands plants, freshwater mussels, and desert fish.
At-risk species and recovery programs benefit from targeted prioritization of ESA-listed and threatened species, focusing limited resources on highest-need conservation actions and long-term sustainability.
Tribal and local communities see strengthened engagement: the statutes encourage Tribal consultation and, where specified, require evidence of free, prior, and informed consent when the Secretary deems it necessary, promoting culturally sensitive projects and local buy‑in.
U.S. taxpayers fund recurring appropriations (each program $5 million/year; four programs combined) for FY2027–2032, increasing federal spending by roughly $20 million per year without offsets, which could crowd out other priorities.
Federal agencies are barred from being lead recipients or receiving these grants, limiting federal ability to directly implement, coordinate, or provide long‑term stewardship and technical capacity for some projects.
Preference for projects that can provide matching funds disadvantages under-resourced communities, small nonprofits, rural areas, and some Tribal applicants who lack access to matching capital, reducing equitable access to grants.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Establishes four Interior-administered competitive grant funds for butterfly, Pacific-Islands plant, freshwater mussel, and Southwest desert fish conservation consistent with the ESA.
Creates four targeted conservation grant programs run by the Department of the Interior to fund actions for at-risk species and habitats: a North America Butterfly Conservation Fund, a Pacific Islands Plant Conservation Fund, a Freshwater Mussel Conservation Fund, and a Southwest Desert Fish Conservation Fund. Each program provides competitive (including multiyear) financial assistance to States, Tribes, nonprofits, research institutions, and qualified partners to plan and carry out habitat conservation, monitoring, restoration, and related activities consistent with the Endangered Species Act, while barring Federal agencies from serving as lead recipients.