State license plate supports butterflies, bees and habitats

Portion of the fee goes to Pollinator Habitat Program Fund

PennDOT has announced that vehicle owners can purchase a special “Pollinator” license plate that will benefit the Pollinator Habitat Program Fund.

Officials said 65% of the proceeds from the license plate will be deposited into the fund, which supports efforts to reinvigorate the populations of insects that pollinate plant life. The plate costs $38, with $25 going to the fund.

The fund will create naturalized gardens and meadows planted with pollinator-friendly species of flowering plants specifically for bees, butterflies, beetles and other insects that may have been adversely affected by the loss of their native habitat, officials said. With more flowering plants to provide sustenance, these insects will be given a chance to thrive in these reclaimed areas.

The program also aims to help reverse the decline of federally listed threatened or endangers species, such as the monarch butterfly.

“The importance of supporting a healthy pollinator population in Pennsylvania — a state that depends on agriculture as part of its economy — cannot be overstated,” PennDOT Acting Secretary Mike Carroll said in a release. “Developing habitats for this important group of insects contributes to both the environmental and economic health of our commonwealth, and PennDOT is proud to offer a license plate to help support these important efforts.”

The Pollinator license plate is available for passenger cars or trucks with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

The license plate features the standard Pennsylvania license plate colors of blue, white, and gold and depicts an image of a monarch butterfly, honeybee and green sweat bee visiting a flower.

Applicants for the Pollinator license plate must submit a completed application for special fund registration plate.

More information is available on PennDOT’s website.

SUBMITTED PHOTO