MONARCH Act of 2025
The MONARCH Act of 2025 aims to rescue and stabilize the western monarch butterfly population and bolster pollinator habitat across the western United States. It creates a dedicated funding mechanism (the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund) and a grant program to support projects led by local governments, tribal governments, research institutions, and nonprofits. The Secretary of the Interior would administer grants and coordinate with other federal and local partners, with annual solicitation and review of proposals designed to restore milkweed and nectar plant habitat, overwintering sites, and other key habitats across the monarch’s western range (California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah). The bill also establishes a collaborative implementation pathway with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to update and carry out a long-standing conservation plan developed by Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). It requires regular reporting to Congress and public disclosure of grant progress and outcomes. The act envisions steady funding in the near term (fiscal years 2026–2030) to support these efforts.
Key Points
- 1Establishes the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund in the Treasury and authorizes annual appropriations of $12.5 million for fiscal years 2026–2030 (with funds remaining available until expended) and a cap of 3% for administrative expenses.
- 2Creates a Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Grant Program, managed by the Secretary of the Interior, to fund projects that conserve western monarchs and other pollinators. Eligible grant recipients include local/tribal governments, research institutions, and nonprofits; federal agencies may participate as partners but cannot be lead grant recipients.
- 3Requires grant proposals to include clear project purposes, responsible entity, qualifications, implementation and outcome assessment plans, coordination with wildlife and Tribal authorities, non-conflict with food safety practices, and evidence of potential conservation impact.
- 4Annual solicitation and review process for funding, with emphasis on urgent conservation outcomes and the likelihood of contributing to wild monarch population recovery.
- 5Establishes a requirement for technical assistance to grant recipients and mandates regular reporting on progress, including public release of reports and, upon request, submission to state legislatures.
- 6Implements the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan through an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), building on the 2019 plan by WAFWA, with specified funding and administrative arrangements.