PRINTER'S NO. 1988
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1759
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY HOWARD, BURGOS, GUENST, SANCHEZ, N. NELSON, HILL-
EVANS, LEE, SCHLOSSBERG, SAPPEY, HOHENSTEIN, WEBSTER,
ZIMMERMAN, MALAGARI, SIMS, CIRESI AND STRUZZI, JULY 30, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JULY 30, 2021
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Pennsylvania Pollinator Habitat Program in the
2 Department of Transportation.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
7 Pollinator Habitat Program Act.
8 Section 2. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Department." The Department of Transportation of the
13 Commonwealth.
14 "Plant hardiness zone." A zone identified as existing in
15 this Commonwealth according to the Plant Hardiness Zone Map
16 published by the United States Department of Agriculture.
17 "Pollinator habitat." An area of permanent vegetation
 1 located in an agricultural landscape that is suited for
2 pollinating insects.
3 "Program." The Pennsylvania Pollinator Habitat Program
4 established under section 4.
5 "State-designated highway." A highway or bridge on the
6 system of highways and bridges over which the department has
7 assumed or has been given jurisdiction by law.
8 Section 3. Findings.
9 The General Assembly finds that:
10 (1) Native plants have many ecological benefits. They
11 provide habitats, stabilize the soil, increase storm water
12 infiltration, replenish the water table and sequester carbon.
13 (2) Native forbs and grasses have more well-developed,
14 deep root systems that stabilize soil and prevent erosion and
15 they do not require fertilizers, water and other care during
16 establishment that non-native plants require.
17 (3) Many native plants are able to tolerate the poor,
18 compacted soils found along roadsides.
19 Section 4. Pennsylvania Pollinator Habitat Program.
20 (a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Pollinator Habitat
21 Program is established in the department. The department, in
22 consultation with the Department of Conservation and Natural
23 Resources and the Department of Agriculture, shall:
24 (1) Administer the program to create pollinator habitats
25 that are located along State-designated highways and are
26 filled with grasses and perennial wildflowers native to
27 Pennsylvania in order to facilitate the migration of
28 pollinators.
29 (2) Develop outreach efforts and provide information to
30 the general public on the benefits of pollinators.
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 1 (3) Identify, for each plant hardiness zone and
2 environmental conditions found on a State-designated highway,
3 a list of the particular native pollinator species that
4 thrive in the plant hardiness zone in which the pollinator
5 species is being planted.
6 (b) Mowing schedules.--The department's mowing schedules
7 shall be modified to be compatible with pollinator cycles.
8 Section 5. Rules and regulations.
9 The department may promulgate rules and regulations to
10 administer and enforce this act.
11 Section 6. Effective date.
12 This act shall take effect in 120 days.
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