Environment (Wildlife)

This bill designates approximately 12,295 acres of federal land in Taos County, New Mexico (managed by the Bureau of Land Management) as the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness, using a specific map dated April 1, 2025. It modifies the boundary of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument to align with this new wilderness designation. The bill allows the maintenance of existing wildlife water structures (like guzzlers) if they enhance wilderness values and minimize visual impact, requiring a cooperative agreement with New Mexico within one year of enactment. This directly affects federal land management practices and wildlife conservation activities within the designated wilderness area.

The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act of 2025 designates approximately 600,000 acres of federal land in Gunnison County, Colorado, as Special Management Areas, Wildlife Conservation Areas, Protection Areas, Recreation Management Areas, and a Scientific Research Area. The bill limits off-highway vehicle and bicycle use to designated routes, requires winter travel management plans within three years, prohibits new road construction, and mandates ecological restoration projects prioritizing native vegetation and wildlife protection. It establishes seasonal closures in specific areas to protect wildlife habitat while allowing continued traditional tribal uses and limited recreational access. The legislation affects federal land managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management across these designated areas, with specific management requirements for each type of protected area.

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act designates new wilderness areas and conservation lands across Colorado, protecting approximately 50,000 acres of public land for conservation and recreation. The bill creates three Wildlife Conservation Areas (Porcupine Gulch, Williams Fork Mountains, and Spraddle Creek), adds several wilderness areas to the National Wilderness Preservation System, and establishes a pilot program to capture methane emissions from coal mines. It withdraws certain lands from mineral development, allows continued grazing under regulated conditions, and requires management plans for these protected areas. The bill affects federal land managers, local communities, tribal nations with traditional uses, and energy companies through the methane pilot program.

The MONARCH Act of 2025 establishes the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund to address the critical decline of western monarch butterflies, which have dropped 99% over 30 years and reached a low of 1,914 in 2020. It authorizes $12.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030 to fund grants for conservation projects led by eligible entities like local governments, tribal agencies, nonprofits, and research institutions within the butterflies' range (California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah). Projects must focus on restoring milkweed, nectar plants, and habitat while coordinating with wildlife authorities and avoiding conflicts with food safety practices. Recipients must report project progress to the Secretary of the Interior and make reports publicly available, with annual updates to Congress on conservation efforts and outcomes.

HR 2971, the YOUNG Act of 2025, creates a new federal grant program to fund youth biodiversity monitoring projects using modern tools like drones, AI, and environmental DNA analysis. It directly supports schools, nonprofits, tribal governments, and local governments that run projects educating young people about wildlife science and conservation. The program allocates $1 million annually (2026-2032) to cover project costs such as supplies, transportation, and permits, with priority given to projects serving underserved communities facing systemic barriers. Grantees must report on participation and grant usage to Congress within two years of enactment.

# Summary of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act is a comprehensive environmental legislation designed to protect and restore the natural ecosystems of the Northern Rockies bioregion (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington). The bill consists of seven main titles with the following key components: **Title I: Wilderness Designations** - Designates over 200 new wilderness areas totaling approximately 13 million acres - Includes specific areas like the Greater Yellowstone, Greater Glacier/Northern Continental Divide, Greater Hells Canyon, Greater Salmon/Selway, and Greater Cabinet-Yaak-Selkirk ecosystems - Specifies exact boundaries, acreage, and administration for each wilderness area **Title II: Biological Connecting Corridors** - Designates approximately 2.9 million acres of Federal land as biological connecting corridors - Requires special management to maintain wildlife connectivity between major ecosystem areas - Prohibits even-aged timber harvesting, mining, oil/gas development, and new road construction **Title III: Wild and Scenic Rivers Designations** - Adds numerous rivers to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including: - The South Fork Payette, Middle Fork Payette, and Deadwood rivers in Idaho - The Yaak River and Kootenai River in Montana - The Yellowstone River and Thorofare River in Wyoming **Title IV: Wildland Restoration and Recovery** - Designates 1,023,000 acres as wildland recovery areas (including Skyland, Hungry Horse, Lolo Creek, Yellowstone West, Mt. Leidy, and others) - Requires restoration of natural conditions, invasive species reduction, and water quality improvement **Title V: Implementation and Monitoring** - Requires implementation reports from the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior - Establishes an interagency team to monitor ecosystem health - Includes roadless land evaluation to protect remaining roadless areas **Title VI: Effect on Indian Tribes** - Protects tribal treaty rights and cultural practices - Ensures nonexclusive access to protected areas for traditional cultural and religious purposes - Requires consultation with tribal governments **Title VII: Water Rights** - Explicitly states that the Act does not affect or reduce existing U.S. water rights The legislation represents a comprehensive approach to ecosystem protection, focusing on preserving wilderness, maintaining wildlife corridors, protecting rivers, restoring damaged lands, and respecting tribal rights while maintaining the natural integrity of the Northern Rockies bioregion.

S 1369, the Protecting Global Fisheries Act of 2026, authorizes the U.S. government to impose sanctions on foreign vessels and entities involved in illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing or the illegal trade of endangered species. The bill targets foreign persons or vessels responsible for IUU fishing or illegal wildlife trade, including those acting on behalf of governments like China’s, with sanctions such as asset blocking, travel bans, port access denial, and financial restrictions. It requires the President to submit annual reports to Congress on sanctions implementation and mandates a detailed assessment of China’s IUU fishing activities and global enforcement efforts. The law includes exceptions for humanitarian aid, safety-related vessel provisions, and compliance with international agreements.

The Captive Primate Safety Act bans the import, export, sale, transport, breeding, or possession of specific nonhuman primates - including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and their hybrids - in interstate or foreign commerce. It directly affects individuals, businesses, and facilities involved in trading or owning these primates, with exceptions for pre-existing owners who register animals with the Fish and Wildlife Service within 180 days and agree to no breeding, sales, or public contact. Research facilities with valid Department of Agriculture registrations may continue using these primates for research. The law requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue implementing regulations within 180 days, but the prohibitions take effect immediately regardless of regulation timing.

SRES 289 designates June 15-22, 2025, as "National Pollinator Week" to recognize pollinators' critical role in U.S. agriculture and ecosystems. The resolution highlights that pollinators support over 100 crops and contribute more than $18 billion annually to U.S. crop production. It encourages the public to observe the week through conservation and educational activities. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise awareness about declining pollinator populations.

This bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to create new provisions specifically for sea turtles. It establishes a dedicated $5 million annual grant program (2025-2030) for sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation, funded through a new "Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund" with $500,000 yearly. Eligible applicants include coastal organizations with Endangered Species Act authorizations or cooperative agreements, required to follow specific care standards and data reporting. The law directly affects wildlife rehabilitation groups and coastal communities handling stranded sea turtles by providing targeted federal funding and clear grant eligibility criteria.