S. 2128 — MONARCH Act of 2025

This section states congressional findings on the imminent risk of extinction for the western monarch butterfly population, which has declined by more than 99% over the past three decades due to drought, habitat loss, and climate change—reaching a historic low of 1,914 butterflies in 2020 and fewer than 10,000 in 2024—and declares that extinction is likely within the next two decades absent urgent restoration and protection of milkweed, nectar plants, overwintering, and pollinator habitats.

This section defines terms used in the Act, including: (1) conservation, as methods and procedures to protect habitats of western monarch butterflies and other pollinators within their range (i.e., protection, restoration, and management of overwintering, breeding, and migratory habitats; assistance for conservation plans; and community outreach and education); (2) Fund, as the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund established by section 5(a); (3) Secretary, as the Secretary of the Interior; (4) Tribal government, as the governing body of a federally recognized Indian Tribe; and (5) western monarch butterfly, as the population that overwinters along the California coast and breeds across California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.

This section establishes the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Grant Program, under which the Secretary—subject to the availability of funds in the Fund and in consultation with other federal agencies—awards grants for projects conserving western monarch butterflies and other pollinators within their range. Grants are available to eligible entities (i.e., local or Tribal government agencies, research institutions, nonprofits, or other entities with relevant expertise); State or federal agencies may not lead projects or receive grants but may partner. The Secretary annually solicits proposals—including required elements such as project purposes, entity qualifications, implementation methods, anticipated outcomes, consultation assurances, non-conflict with food safety, and conservation potential—reviews them on an urgent timeline, and approves those demonstrating likely contributions to wild western monarch butterfly populations, while providing technical assistance and requiring grantee progress reports that are made public and available to state legislatures upon gubernatorial request.

This section establishes in the Treasury the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund, authorizes appropriations of $12,500,000 for each of FY2026 through 2030 for deposit into the fund (to remain available until expended), and permits the Secretary to expend up to 3% of available amounts in the fund each fiscal year for administrative expenses necessary to carry out this Act.

This section directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) pursuant to the NFWF Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) to facilitate updating and implementing the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in January 2019. The section waives application of restrictions in section 10(a) of that act (16 U.S.C. 3709(a))—i.e., requirements that federal funds be matched 1-to-1 by nonfederal contributions and prohibitions on their use for NFWF administrative expenses—with respect to the agreement and amounts made available to carry out this section. The section authorizes appropriations of $12.5 million to the Secretary for each of FY2026 through FY2030.

This section directs the Secretary to submit to Congress by January 31 of each year a report on the status of western monarch butterflies for the prior year, including (1) a summary and evaluation of projects funded under section 4 and (2) a summary of projects funded through the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in January 2019.