Wetlands Bill Authorizes $50 Million for Pacific Northwest Habitat Restoration from 2026-2030

The newly proposed Northwest Wetlands Voluntary Incentives Program Act sets up a dedicated, five-year grant program focused on restoring and maintaining critical wetland habitats in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, this bill authorizes $10 million annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2030—a total of $50 million—to fund projects in the Columbia River Basin and the coastal zones of Oregon and Washington. The goal is straightforward: to protect and improve stopover and wintering grounds for migratory birds like waterfowl and shorebirds.

The program, officially called the Pacific Northwest Migratory Bird Conservation pilot program, will be run by the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The money is distributed as competitive grants and technical assistance to a very broad range of groups, including governments, Tribal organizations, non-profits, and even private landowners. Essentially, if you own land or manage resources in these key areas and want to restore habitat, the federal government is offering funding and expertise to help make it happen.

The Catch: Matching Funds and the Hurdles for Smaller Groups

While the funding sounds great, there’s a significant requirement that could trip up smaller organizations: the 25 percent non-Federal match. If an eligible entity wants a grant, they must secure a matching share equal to at least 25 percent of the total project cost. This match can be cash, in-kind services, or private funds, but here’s the kicker: the bill requires applicants to have this matching share secured two years before they even submit their application.

For a major state agency or a large non-profit, this might be standard procedure. But for a smaller, grassroots conservation group or an individual private landowner, raising 25 percent of a potential grant amount years in advance is a serious barrier to entry. This rule effectively prioritizes well-established entities that have the fundraising infrastructure and long-term planning capacity to meet this requirement, potentially sidelining local groups that might be closest to the actual restoration work.

What Gets Funded (And What Doesn’t)

Grant money is specifically earmarked for projects that improve water infrastructure and management for wetlands or focus on managing vegetation to benefit migratory birds. For example, a farmer in the Columbia River Basin could apply for funds to redesign irrigation systems to create seasonal wetland areas for waterfowl during migration, or a coastal tribe could use the money for marsh grass restoration projects. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that funds cannot be used for the regular, ongoing operation and maintenance of these projects once the restoration is complete, nor can they be used to meet existing environmental cleanup or legal compliance requirements. This means the money is strictly for new restoration efforts, not for paying fines or covering existing operational budgets.

Keeping the Books Straight

One solid provision is the “supplement, not supplant” rule (Sec. 5). This means the $10 million authorized each year must add to existing federal spending in the area; it cannot replace money already budgeted for other conservation activities. This is a good safeguard to ensure the new funding actually results in more conservation work being done. Furthermore, the Secretary is required to send Congress an annual report detailing every single habitat restoration project funded, which provides a necessary layer of transparency and accountability for how the $50 million is spent over the five-year period.