To require the priority and consideration of using native plants in Federal projects, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Sherrill (for herself and Mr. Joyce of Ohio) introduced …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act requires federal agencies to prioritize native plants over non-native plants when doing landscaping work at federal facilities. Agencies must consider the environmental benefits of native plants, such as supporting pollinators, reducing water usage, and preventing erosion, when making decisions about what to plant.
Who Benefits and How
Native plant nurseries and growers benefit by gaining preference in federal procurement contracts for landscaping projects. Wildlife and pollinator populations benefit from increased habitat creation and food sources at federal facilities. Local ecosystems gain resilience through reduced erosion, better stormwater management, and support for native species.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal agencies face new compliance requirements to evaluate and justify their plant selections for landscaping projects, adding administrative costs. Non-native ornamental plant suppliers may see reduced demand from federal contracts as agencies shift to native plant species. Agencies must update their design standards and procurement procedures within 270 days.
Key Provisions
- Federal agencies must prioritize native plants "as feasible" based on cost, schedule, and product availability in all federal landscaping projects
- Agencies must consider long-term environmental benefits like habitat creation, pollinator support, water conservation, and erosion control when choosing plants
- The requirement applies to construction and maintenance activities at federal facilities that involve landscape planting improvements
- Turfgrass and lawn plantings are encouraged but not required to use native species
- Agencies have 270 days to implement the new prioritization and update their design standards
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
This bill aims to promote the use of native plants in federal projects by requiring agencies to prioritize their use, consider their benefits, and update design standards accordingly.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_head_of_a_federal_agency"
- → Head of a Federal Agency
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
An Executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.
As defined in section 101(a) of title I of division DD of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (43 U.S.C. 1732 note; Public Law 117–328).
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology