Sponsors (14)
The bill trades clearer permitting and new, targeted funding for migratory-bird conservation and improved monitoring against higher compliance costs, fees, fines, and increased regulatory and fiscal burdens for businesses, landowners, and taxpayers.
Landowners and businesses (including small business owners and utilities/energy companies) gain clearer legal certainty through permits that authorize incidental take, reducing litigation risk and enabling development and project planning.
Rural communities and conservation partners benefit from a dedicated Migratory Bird Recovery Fund and fee-funded mitigation targeted to birds of conservation concern, providing sustained financing for habitat actions and monitoring that can help slow species declines.
State governments, researchers, and the public receive better information because the bill requires regular scientific monitoring and reporting to Congress on bird population trends and the effects of permitted activities, improving transparency and evidence-based policy.
Small businesses, utilities/energy companies, and other regulated parties face higher compliance costs and financial risk because incidental-take violations can carry civil fines up to $10,000 each.
Utilities, developers, and small businesses may see project costs and timelines rise because permitting fees and required mitigation increase upfront expenses and can slow permitting and construction schedules.
State governments and landowners could face greater regulatory burden and litigation risk from expanded enforcement tools and civil actions, and taxpayers may shoulder recurring appropriations or fee-backed program costs to sustain the program.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes an incidental-take permitting and civil-penalty framework under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, creates a recovery fund, authorizes fees and $10M/year, and funds research and monitoring.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress May 5, 2025
Creates a new permitting and incidental-take framework under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that makes incidental take unlawful unless authorized by the Secretary of the Interior. The bill authorizes civil penalties (up to $10,000 per violation) for unauthorized incidental take, requires rulemaking and general permits, allows fee collection and creates a dedicated Migratory Bird Recovery Fund, authorizes $10 million per year to implement the program, and establishes a monitoring and research program plus recurring reporting to Congress.