Sponsors (14)
The bill creates a permit-and-fee system and dedicated funding to support migratory bird conservation and better data for policymaking, at the cost of new compliance fees, administrative burdens and modest increased federal spending.
Utilities, energy companies, and other regulated businesses get clearer, more predictable authorizations for incidental take through a permit-and-fee framework, reducing legal uncertainty and project risk.
Conservation groups, researchers, and universities receive a dedicated Migratory Bird Recovery Fund (fed by fees, penalties, donations, and appropriations) to finance bird conservation and research.
State governments and Congress will get periodic (every 5 years) reports on migratory bird status and impacts of authorized activities, improving oversight, transparency, and information for policy decisions.
Utilities, energy companies, and small businesses will incur new fees and face potential civil penalties (up to $10,000 per violation), raising compliance costs.
Permitting, rulemaking, hearings, and reporting requirements will increase administrative burden and can cause delays and higher costs for regulated projects.
Narrowing or altering textual references to agency authority could create transitional confusion about enforcement responsibility and oversight.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a permit, fee, civil‑penalty, and funding system for incidental take under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and authorizes $10M/year to implement it.
Official title: To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to affirm that the prohibition on the unauthorized take or killing of migratory birds of that Act includes incidental take, and to direct the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to authorize such incidental take, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress May 5, 2025
Creates a new permitting, fee, enforcement, and funding framework for incidental take of migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It adds civil penalties and civil enforcement authority for unpermitted or permit‑violating incidental take, directs the Interior Department to write rules and issue general permits, establishes a dedicated Migratory Bird Recovery Fund to hold fees and receipts, and authorizes $10 million per year for implementation, monitoring, and research.