Sponsors (22)
The bill directs modest, targeted federal support to help urban areas and community groups conserve bird habitat and build local capacity, but the small funding level and administrative design may limit overall reach and advantage better-resourced applicants while reducing some federal oversight.
Urban communities and local governments will receive targeted grants to protect and restore bird habitat, improving local green spaces and urban biodiversity.
Community groups, nonprofits, tribes, and schools can obtain funding and technical support for monitoring and education, building local conservation capacity and awareness.
An equitable geographic distribution requirement increases access to funds for small and midsize cities, helping smaller jurisdictions compete for conservation resources.
The program is authorized only $200,000 per year, which is small and likely insufficient to meet demand—limiting the scale and impact of grants for communities seeking support.
Application and reporting requirements may create administrative burdens that favor better-resourced applicants, disadvantaging smaller nonprofits, community groups, and tribal entities.
Administration through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with a statutory waiver could reduce some federal oversight or standard grant requirements, potentially lowering transparency, accountability, or uniform standards across awards.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive Urban Bird Treaty grant program at Fish and Wildlife to fund urban bird habitat conservation and outreach, with $200,000/year authorized for FY2027–FY2033.
Creates an Urban Bird Treaty Program at the Department of the Interior (through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) to support voluntary conservation of birds and urban bird habitats in U.S. cities. The bill establishes a competitive grant program (which may be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) to fund habitat protection and restoration, invasive species control, hazard reduction, community science and education, and interagency and community collaboration. Grants must be distributed equitably among small, midsize, and large cities (using NCES EDGE locale definitions). The bill authorizes $200,000 per year for fiscal years 2027–2033 to carry out the program and clarifies certain contracting authorities for administering grants.
Official title: Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2026
Introduced May 8, 2025 by Debbie Dingell · Last progress September 15, 2026