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S 4543

Extinction Prevention Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Richard Blumenthal and 4 co-sponsors

Creates four dedicated funds (butterflies, Pacific Islands plants, US freshwater mussels, Southwest desert fishes) to fund competitive conservation projects with annual $5M appropr

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4543

Summary of S.4543 (Extinction Prevention Act of 2026)

  • Bill purpose

    • Establish four dedicated conservation funds to support extinction-prevention efforts for specific taxa and regions:
    • North America butterflies
    • Pacific Islands plants
    • United States freshwater mussels
    • Southwest Desert fishes
    • Create a framework for competitive grants, project review, reporting, and annual appropriations to fund these efforts.

  • Key provisions by title

### Title I – North America Butterfly Conservation Act of 2026
- Short title: North America Butterfly Conservation Fund Act of 2026
- Purposes:
- Perpetuate healthy butterfly populations in North America
- Support conservation of threatened/endangered butterflies
- Provide financial resources and foster international cooperation
- Definitions:
- “North America butterfly conservation” covers habitat protection/restoration, monitoring, management plans, enforcement, and outreach
- “Fund” = North America Butterfly Conservation Fund
- Geographic scope includes the United States, Canada, Mexico, and various nearby Caribbean nations and territories
- Federal funding and administration:
- The Fund to finance Section 104 grants for butterfly conservation projects
- Projects must align with Endangered Species Act authorities
- Project proposals:
- Eligible applicants: State/Tribal agencies, research institutions, nonprofits, wildlife authorities in North America, or other qualified entities
- Federal agencies cannot be lead, but may be partners
- Required elements: purpose, responsible project lead, qualifications, implementation/outcome measures, staffing/participation, timelines/costs, indigenous community consent where required, consultation with wildlife authorities/Tribes, cultural/resource considerations, matching funds, and other Secretary-determined information
- Review and approval:
- Proposals reviewed within 30 days; approval/disapproval within 180 days after consultation with relevant countries
- Reporting:
- Grant recipients must periodically report progress; reports publicly available
- Fund mechanics:
- Establishes a dedicated Treasury account; funds flow from general appropriation and donations
- Allows modest admin expense cap (3% of funds or $80,000, whichever is greater)
- Invests funds in US government obligations
- Annual appropriations of $5 million (FY2027–FY2032)

### Title II – Pacific Islands Plant Conservation Fund Act of 2026
- Short title and purposes:
- Conserve threatened/endangered Pacific Islands plants
- Provide financial resources for plant conservation projects and ecosystem protection
- Definitions:
- “Pacific Islands plant conservation” includes habitat protection/restoration, monitoring, management planning, enforcement, and outreach
- “Fund” = Pacific Islands Plant Conservation Fund
- Geographic scope: Hawaiian Islands and U.S. territories (Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands)
- Assistance and projects:
- Competitive, potentially multiyear grants
- Use of Endangered Species Act authorities
- Eligible applicants: State/territory agencies or other qualified entities; federal agencies cannot be lead but may partner
- Required proposal elements mirror Title I (purposes, leadership, methods, staffing, costs/timelines, anticipated outcomes, local consultation, cultural resources, matching funds, etc.)
- Review/approval and reporting:
- Similar timelines and consultation process as Title I
- Fund mechanics:
- Establishes the Pacific Islands Plant Conservation Fund; annual appropriations of $5 million (FY2027–FY2032)
- Annual reporting to Congress on fund status and Pacific Islands plant conservation

### Title III – United States Freshwater Mussel Conservation Fund Act of 2026
- Short title: Freshwater Mussel Conservation Fund Act of 2026
- Purposes:
- Conserve threatened/endangered U.S. freshwater mussels and their habitats
- Fund conservation projects and address threats to freshwater mussels
- Definitions:
- “United States freshwater mussel conservation” includes habitat protection/restoration, monitoring, management planning, enforcement, and outreach
- “Fund” = Freshwater Mussel Conservation Fund
- “Freshwater mussel” = members of the order Unionida
- Assistance and projects:
- Competitive grants and multiyear funding
- Use of Endangered Species Act authorities
- Eligible applicants and lead-partner rules align with other titles
- Proposal requirements emphasize: purpose, leadership, qualifications, implementation, timelines, participation, consultations, cultural/resource considerations, potential conservation impact, matching funds, and other information
- Review/approval and reporting:
- Timelines similar to Titles I/II; includes state-level consultation
- Fund mechanics:
- Establishes the Freshwater Mussel Conservation Fund; annual appropriations of $5 million (FY2027–FY2032)

### Title IV – Southwest Desert Fish Conservation Fund Act of 2026
- Short title: Southwest Desert Fish Conservation Fund Act of 2026
- Purposes:
- Conserve threatened/endangered desert fish and habitats in the Southwest
- Provide financial resources for conservation projects and address threats
- Definitions:
- “Southwest desert fish conservation” encompasses habitat protection/restoration, monitoring, management planning, enforcement, and outreach
- Geographic scope: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah
- “Fund” = Southwest Desert Fish Conservation Fund
- Assistance and projects:
- Competitive grants and multiyear funding
- Endangered Species Act authorities used
- Eligible applicants and leadership rules consistent with other titles
- Proposal requirements emphasize purpose, leadership, qualifications, implementation, timelines, participation, consultations, cultural/resource considerations, potential conservation impact, matching funds, and other information
- Review/approval and reporting:
- Similar review/approval process with state consultations
- Fund mechanics:
- Establishes the Southwest Desert Fish Conservation Fund; annual appropriations of $5 million (FY2027–FY2032)

  • Administrative and oversight details

    • Each fund includes:
    • Fund establishment within the Treasury
    • Procedures for admin expenses (3% or $80,000, as applicable)
    • Investment of unneeded funds in US obligations
    • Donor acceptance provisions with options to reject gifts
    • Annual reporting to Congress detailing deposits, expenditures, project outcomes, and status of the targeted species

  • Timeline and funding

    • Effective appropriations window: FY2027 through FY2032 (5-year span) for all four funds
    • Each title requires annual reporting to Congress by January 31 for the prior calendar year

  • Potential impact and considerations

    • Creates a structured, dedicated funding stream to support butterfly, plant, freshwater mussel, and desert fish conservation across specified regions
    • Emphasizes collaboration with non-federal partners and adherence to Endangered Species Act authorities
    • Encourages habitat protection, research, monitoring, community engagement, and international or intergovernmental cooperation where applicable
    • Establishes transparency through public reporting of funding, project outcomes, and species status

Note: The bill specifies that lead roles for funded projects should generally be non-federal entities, with federal agencies serving as partners, to maximize on-the-ground expertise and local involvement.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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