Two bills introduced in effort to save Western Monarch Butterfly
WASHINGTON (KION) Central Coast Congressman Jimmy Panetta said he and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) have reintroduced the Monarch Action, Recovery and Conservation of Habitat (MONARCH) Act and the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act to prevent the extinction of Western Monarch Butterflies.
The MONARCH Act would include protections for the butterflies if passed. Panetta's office said it would provide $62.5 million for conservation projects and another $62.5 million for the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, prepared in January 2019 by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The funding for each would be distributed in five yearly installments of $12.5 million.
The other bill, the Monarch Pollinator Highway Act, would create a grant program available to state departments of transportation and Native American tribes for "pollinator-friendly practices" near roadways.
"For generations, we on the Central Coast of California have had a front-row seat to the migration of the monarch butterfly. Unfortunately, we are now witnessing the dramatic decline and potential extinction of this magnificent pollinator all across North America,” Panetta said. “The MONARCH Act and Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act would provide the funding for the necessary investments to research and restore the habitats of the monarch butterfly. Our legislation is a small example of how we must continue to fight the effects of the climate crisis by working to preserve the future of a species that means so much to our ecosystem and to us on the Central Coast.”
Panetta's Office reports that the Western Monarch Butterfly population has dropped by 99% since the 1980s, which could pose a threat to farmers and the food supply.
Pacific Grove, which earned the nickname "Butterfly Town, U.S.A" is home to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Volunteers in Pacific Grove reported not seeing any butterflies this winter.
Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction
“You could say that Monarch Butterflies are part of the community’s DNA. We’ve long recognized Monarchs as key species to be celebrated and preserved. Our school district’s annual Butterfly Parade started 80 years ago. The City’s official logo and signs include a Monarch. Importantly, the community recognized the need to conserve Monarch habitat by purchasing land for the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. But we can’t do it alone and applaud efforts by Congressman Panetta to encourage others to join us so that Monarchs thrive well into the future,” said City of Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Peake.
Residents of Pacific Grove voted to create a tax benefiting the butterfly sanctuary, and police enforce regulations that do not allow the "molestation of butterflies." The fine costs $1,000.
