Federal grants fund duck nesting structures and wetland restoration

What it does

This bill creates two federal grant programs, each funded at $3.5 million annually through 2030, to help sustain migratory waterfowl populations. The first program funds installation and maintenance of nesting structures (hen houses) in prairie pothole wetlands across the primary duck-breeding region; the second funds habitat restoration and incentive payments to private landowners in California specifically to create breeding ponds and nesting cover. Eligible recipients include state and local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and individuals.

Why we flagged it

The bill's sole operative mechanism is the establishment of two competitive grant programs funded from Interior Department appropriations to support habitat restoration and nesting infrastructure for migratory waterfowl. This is straightforward conservation legislation with no hidden mechanisms or private carve-outs.

What the text implies

• California-specific breeding habitat program may create geographic disparity in waterfowl management investment, potentially concentrating federal conservation resources in one state rather than across the prairie pothole region.
• Grant program eligibility includes individuals as eligible entities, which could allow private landowners to receive direct federal payments for habitat work on their own property—a subsidy mechanism that may incentivize participation but lacks explicit accountability or public-access requirements.
• No explicit requirement that hen house installations or habitat improvements remain in place for a minimum period or that public access be granted, potentially allowing grantees to remove structures or restrict access after receiving federal funds.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill funds habitat restoration and wildlife management that benefits the general public through ecosystem services (wetland health, water filtration, carbon storage) and recreational opportunities (hunting, birdwatching). No restrictions on citizen rights or protections; the funding flows to public agencies, nonprofits, and willing private landowners, with no private monopoly or liability shield.

Who stands to gain

• state and local governments (grant recipients)
• tribal governments (grant recipients)
• nonprofit conservation organizations (grant recipients)
• private landowners in California (incentive payments for habitat work)

Named in the bill

Department of the Interior, Secretary of the Interior, North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Joint Ventures, prairie pothole region, California

Where it stands

4 cosponsors: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrats.

• Jul 22, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jul 22, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

1 lobbying clients named this bill on 1 disclosure filings across 1 quarter, Jun 2026 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $640,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 20 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 0% of bills with at least one filing.

Michelle Fischbach, the sponsor, reported $832,550 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Motion Picture Association Inc — $640,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.