Sponsors (4)
The bill provides modest, multi-year federal funding to improve waterfowl breeding habitat in key regions—benefiting landowners and conservation partners—but diverts Interior operating dollars and may be too limited or unequally accessible to fully scale restoration or reach small landholders.
Nonprofits, state governments, tribal residents, and partner organizations receive predictable federal funding (~$3.5M per program per year through 2030) to plan and sustain habitat restoration programs and build partner capacity.
Landowners, farmers, and conservation groups in the prairie pothole region can get funding to install and maintain nest structures, improving duck nesting success and local breeding habitat.
California homeowners, rural landowners, and farmers can access grants and incentives to create brood ponds and nesting cover, enhancing local waterfowl breeding habitat and supporting regional conservation efforts.
Taxpayers and other DOI priorities may be affected because the funding is drawn from Interior departmental operations, reducing amounts available for other Interior programs unless offsets are provided.
Rural communities and conservation groups may find the allocated amount ($3.5M per program per year) too limited to scale meaningful habitat restoration across the extensive prairie pothole and California breeding areas.
Individual landowners and small nonprofits may be disadvantaged because competition for grants can favor larger organizations, making it harder for small holders to secure funding without additional technical assistance.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes two DOI competitive grant programs for nest structures in the prairie pothole region and breeding habitat projects in California, funded $3.5M/year each for FY2026–2030.
Introduced July 22, 2025 by Michelle Fischbach · Last progress July 22, 2025
Creates two new competitive grant programs run by the Department of the Interior: one to place, build, and maintain cylindrical nest structures ("hen houses") in the prairie pothole region to boost nesting success, and one to develop breeding habitat in California by establishing nesting cover, creating brood ponds, and offering incentives to willing landowners. Each program must be set up within 180 days of enactment and is funded at $3.5 million per year for FY2026–FY2030, with eligible applicants including states, local and Tribal governments, nonprofits, and individuals. The funds are to be drawn from amounts available to the Department of the Interior—Office of the Secretary—Departmental Operations account. The programs are competitive grants intended to improve nesting and breeding habitat for targeted wildlife in two specific regions.