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HR 135 · 119th CongressIn Committee
Manatee Protection Act of 2025
Latest updateJan 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Environmental Protection
Sponsor
Vern Buchanan
Introduced
January 3, 2025
Latest action
January 3, 2025
Legislative Progress
How far this bill has traveled through Congress
Introduced
Committee
Passed Chamber
Passed Both
President
Enacted
Introduced
Bill filed in chamber
Committee
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Passed Chamber
House or Senate vote
Passed Both
House & Senate agree
President
Sent to White House
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Signed into law
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Plain-Language Summary
AI GeneratedThe West Indian manatee currently holds "threatened" status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, a classification that provides baseline protections but reflects the species' recovery from near extinction in the 1970s. Manatee populations have faced renewed decline in recent years, particularly in Florida waters, due to factors including boat strikes, loss of warm-water habitat, and algal blooms that reduce food availability. The threatened designation, while offering some legal safeguards, does not trigger the full suite of protective measures available under the law for species facing more immediate extinction risk.
The Manatee Protection Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of the Interior to reclassify the West Indian manatee from threatened to endangered status under the Endangered Species Act. This change operates by directing the Department of the Interior to add the manatee to the endangered species list maintained under section 4(c) of the 1973 Act. The reclassification bypasses the standard listing process—which typically involves scientific review and public comment periods—and mandates immediate endangered designation regardless of other legal provisions.
Once reclassified, the manatee gains access to stricter protections, including enhanced habitat conservation requirements and more rigorous review of federal projects that might affect the species. The Department of the Interior will need to develop or revise recovery plans and coordinate with state wildlife agencies, particularly Florida's Department of Environmental Protection. Federal agencies undertaking projects in manatee habitat—such as coastal development, dredging, or water management—will face heightened scrutiny and potential project delays. Funding for manatee protection programs may increase through existing Endangered Species Act appropriations, though the bill itself contains no new funding authorization.
Key Provisions
- 1Requires the Secretary of the Interior to immediately designate the West Indian manatee as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, bypassing the standard scientific review and public comment process.
- 2Mandates that the Department of the Interior add the West Indian manatee to the official endangered species list published under section 4(c) of the Endangered Species Act.
- 3Establishes that the manatee shall be treated as an endangered species for all purposes under the Endangered Species Act, triggering enhanced protections and habitat conservation requirements.
★ Why this matters
The reclassification from threatened to endangered status triggers stricter federal protections for manatee habitat and increases legal barriers to projects that might harm the species. Federal agencies will face more intensive review requirements before approving coastal development, dredging, water management, or other activities in manatee habitat. Recovery planning and resource allocation for manatee conservation will intensify, potentially affecting the timeline and scope of other environmental initiatives. The change may slow or block certain infrastructure and development projects in Florida and other manatee range states.
● Who this affects
Florida coastal developers and construction companies undertaking projects in manatee habitat; the Department of the Interior and state wildlife agencies responsible for implementing endangered species protections; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies that permit or conduct water management and coastal projects; boaters and commercial fishing operations in Florida waters subject to speed restrictions and operational limits; Florida residents and municipalities dependent on coastal development and water management infrastructure.
Bill Text
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<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 135
To designate the West Indian manatee as an endangered species under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Buchanan (for himself and Mr. Frost) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To designate the West Indian manatee as an endangered species under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Manatee Protection Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. WEST INDIAN MANATEE DESIGNATED ENDANGERED SPECIES.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
species known as the ``West Indian manatee'' (Trichechus manatus) shall
be treated as an endangered species for purposes of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
(b) Listing of West Indian Manatee.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior shall include the
species known as the ``West Indian manatee'' (Trichechus manatus) in
the endangered species list published under section 4(c) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(c)).
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