This bill mandates the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a leasing program for State-owned land designated for use as pollinator habitat. The program will allow qualified individuals, local government units, nonprofit organizations, and other entities to lease, develop, use, and manage these lands. The bill emphasizes the importance of pollinator habitats, which are areas beneficial for the feeding, nesting, and reproduction of pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Additionally, the DEP is required to adopt rules and regulations, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to identify suitable State-owned lands for pollinator habitat and establish criteria for selecting appropriate entities to manage these lands. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.