Heinrich, Braun, Sherrill, and Joyce Introduce Building Native Habitats At Federal Facilities Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and U.S. Representatives Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) are introducing new, bipartisan, and bicameral legislation called the Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act. The bill will protect pollinators, conserve water, and reduce pesticide usage near federal buildings and federal government facilities.

 

“Federal facilities are ideal proving grounds for scaling best practices in managing our landscapes, prioritizing healthy and resilient native plants,” said Heinrich. “Native plants provide key benefits for pollinators and our environment. And the savings from their lower maintenance needs also make them a responsible and cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars.”

 

“Indiana is home to a great variety of native plants that provide a significant purpose to our ecosystems, such as shelter for local species or retaining stormwater that would otherwise flood communities,” said Braun. “This legislation would promote the use of native plants across the country which helps fulfill our responsibility as stewards of the environment and saves taxpayer dollars.”

 

“I am excited to expand on New Jersey’s storied history as the ‘Garden State’ with the Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act. Native plants offer a wide range of benefits, including providing natural habitats for animals, offering flood protection by filtering and retaining stormwater, and requiring less maintenance – which will save money for New Jersey families, businesses, and municipalities,” said Sherrill. “I am grateful to the environmental advocates across New Jersey who brought this issue to my attention and I look forward to our continued partnership as I work to address flooding, protect our planet, and lower costs for New Jerseyans.”

 

“As co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus, I recognize the importance of helping to restore natural habitats and protect endangered wildlife,” said Joyce. “This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will promote the use of native plants, restore natural habitats, and cultivate more native plants in local communities across Ohio and the country. I urge my colleagues in both chambers to work swiftly to pass this legislation.”

 

The U.S. Departments of Interior, Defense, State, and Veterans Administration, NASA, and the General Services Administration (GSA) each have native plant standards in their property management plans. However, there are currently no U.S. Government-wide statutes requiring federal entities to incorporate native plants into their building or landscaping projects.

 

The Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act will require federal entities to prioritize native plants, where feasible and in consideration of the positive benefits of the project, when engaging in landscaping work, excluding lawns. 

 

The bill also codifies the prioritization of native plants in existing agency-specific facility design standards and requests that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) produce public, informational, non-regulatory guidance every two years via a report, which will include any newfound best practices, analytic findings, and a general description of how the federal government is promoting native habitats.

 

Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

 

A summary of the legislation is available HERE.

 

Native plants provide habitat for native fauna and mitigate, filter, and retain stormwater that otherwise floods neighborhoods and causes polluted rivers. Additionally, native plants do not need to be routinely, if at all, watered once established, and they come back year after year. This reduces landscaping maintenance, including fertilization and pest control, therefore cutting down on long-term costs and seasonal efforts to maintain landscapes on federal facilities.

 

The Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities has been endorsed by the Sierra Club, Environment America, Nature Conservancy, Center for Plant Conservation, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Pollinator Friendly Alliance, National Native Plant Month, Homegrown National Park, Native Plant Conservation Campaign, Native Plant Society of New Mexico, Colorado Native Plant Society, Arizona Native Plant Society, Native Plant Society of New Jersey, Audubon Society - New Jersey,  Nature Conservancy – NJ, Ohio Native Plant Month, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Nature Conservancy – Indiana, Indiana Native Plant Society, and the Indiana Wildlife Federation.

 

"The Native Plant Society of New Mexico strongly supports the "Building Native Habitats" bill as it would promote the use of native plants on federal projects in New Mexico,” said Sylvan Kaufman, Conservation Chair of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico. “Some of the important benefits include increasing plant diversity, enhancing wildlife habitat, reducing water use, and improving soil health. NPSNM represents over 800 members and encourages the appropriate use of native plants to conserve water, land, and wildlife." 

 

“Native plants are the foundation of natural communities, providing habitat, food and shelter for bees, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife,” said Scott Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “We are glad to support the Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act, which will prioritize using native plants in federal projects and help protect our natural heritage.” 

 

"The importance of native plants in supporting biodiversity cannot be overstated,” said Doug Tallamy, Co-Founder of Homegrown National Park. “We are thrilled to see the federal government advance this legislation as it is both easy to implement and an essential step toward addressing the biodiversity crisis." 

 

"For decades in America, we've paved over our prairies, replaced our native wild plants for ornamentals, and sprayed pesticides over nearly every field, meadow and forest. Now, our nearly 5,000 species of bees and butterflies are paying the price for our progress,” said Lisa Frank, Executive Director of Environment America. “Restoring native plants to the landscape will not only make America more beautiful, but expand the habitat that pollinators need to thrive again. That's why Environment America supports the bipartisan Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act."

 

“The Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act is a bipartisan win for biodiversity in the U.S. Invasive and non-native plants cause ecosystem disruption, alter habitats, and push out native species that can't compete,” said Bradley Williams, Associate Director of Legislative and Administrative Advocacy, Wildlife and Lands Protection at the Sierra Club. This common-sense bill prioritizes native flora, not only preserving biodiversity but also promoting water efficiency, reducing maintenance costs, and bolstering local habitats." 

 

“By choosing to plant native species in our gardens and public spaces, we contribute to creating sustainable and resilient communities, preserving our planet's natural heritage and health for future generations,” said Carlos L. de la Rosa, Ph.D., Center for Plant Conservation President and CEO. “The Center for Plant Conservation endorses Senator Heinrich's and Representative Sherrill's bill, the Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act, and looks forward to working with our federal agencies and institutions in making this bill successful for conservation and sustainable development.” 

 

“Native plants are critical to help birds, pollinators, and other wildlife find food and shelter in a changing climate,” said Marlene Pantin, Plants for Birds partnership manager at the National Audubon Society. “As one of the nation’s largest landowners, the federal government undertakes a significant number of projects each year in our communities. This bill would deliver benefits for people and wildlife by prioritizing the use of native plants in landscape projects.”

 

Larry Clemens, Indiana State Director for The Nature Conservancy: "This is good, common-sense legislation. It just makes sense to use native plants in these projects instead of what we often see—invasive species that are detrimental to the landscape. The Nature Conservancy welcomes this bill and is happy to support it.”

 

“The Ohio Native Plant Month organization supports the ‘Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act,’ for prioritizing the use of native plants over non-native plants by Federal agencies. To save our planet we must protect the health of our air, water, and soil. To save wildlife we need to provide them with ample food and shelter. Native plants are the best way to support native pollinators, caterpillars, insects, birds, and other animals.” – Nancy Linz, President and Co-Founder, Ohio Native Plant Month

 

“We applaud Representatives Sherrill and Joyce and Senators Heinrich and Braun on this legislation,” said Dr. Barbara Brummer, New Jersey State Director at The Nature Conservancy. “Embracing native plants in landscapes isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a vital commitment to the survival of pollinators and wildlife. Native plantings support species diversity, creating vibrant habitats that sustain and nurture our natural world.”

 

"The Indiana Native Plant Society is excited to support the Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act, which Indiana Senator Mike Braun will be co-sponsoring, and the companion legislation being introduced in the House, Building Native Habitats with Federal Projects Act,” said Coralie Palmer, President of the Indiana Native Plant Society. “Native plants are critical for supporting biodiversity, which is in rapid and alarming decline. Biodiversity is vital for stable, functioning ecosystems, which support all life, and there are inextricable links between biodiversity, climate resilience, sustainable development and environmental justice. Conserving existing native plant habitat, using native plants in landscaping and adopting ecologically sustainable landscape management practices are key to addressing the biodiversity crisis. We welcome this piece of legislation, which prioritizes the use of native plants and requires the consideration of the many benefits of doing so, and we thank Senator Braun for supporting this." 

 

"New Jersey may be nicknamed "The Garden State" but not enough of those gardens feature our very own native plants, like pasture rose or butterfly weed,” said Doug O'Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. “Some of our native plants may have even disappeared altogether, including three of our seven species of gentians. Every time a native plant goes extinct, we lose a little wonder, but our pollinators and other wildlife may lose much more: their home, their food, their environment. We can and should use more native plants in our landscaping and the federal government can lead by example if Congress passes the Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act."