Why It Matters: One of the most pressing challenges facing wildlife in the country is the issue of habitat connectivity – the ability of wildlife to move freely throughout their annual lifecycle to meet ecological and biological demands. Unfortunately for wildlife, human development in the form of roads, railways, highways, etc., which cause wildlife-vehicle collisions, presents a unique challenge for many species of wildlife to safely move about their range. It is estimated that there are 1 – 2 million large animal wildlife-vehicle collisions annually (deer, elk, moose, and other big game species) – impacting not only wildlife, but also human health and safety.
Highlights:
- Last week, Senators Alsobrooks, Cramer, Merkley, and Curtis introduced the Wildlife Crossings Program Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that is a top priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) to help improve habitat connectivity for wildlife and human safety on our nation’s roads, railways, and highways.
- Wildlife crossings in the form of overpasses and underpasses, along with fencing, are a proven tool to reduce human-wildlife vehicle collisions.
- First authorized as a pilot program in 2021, the Wildlife Crossings Program has seen an overwhelming demand, and reauthorization of this program through the Wildlife Crossings Program Reauthorization Act is necessary.
On December 18, U.S. Senators Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cramer (R-ND), Merkley (D-OR), and Curtis (R-T) introduced the Wildlife Crossings Program Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan effort to help address one of the most challenging issues facing wildlife across the country – habitat connectivity.
Wildlife crossings have been a longstanding top priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. Unfortunately, highways, roads, and railways, among other infrastructure that is necessary for human travel, often prevent wildlife from moving between important habitats. As a result of these roads and highways, millions of wildlife die annually due to vehicle collisions; however, wildlife crossings reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, mutually benefiting wildlife health and human safety. Wildlife crossings are especially critical for migrating game species such as mule deer, elk, and pronghorn.
This legislation will authorize $500 million over a period of five years to provide the Federal Highway Administration with a competitive grant program to construct wildlife crossings with the goal of improving human safety by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Despite the success of the Wildlife Crossings Program since its enactment in 2021, demand far exceeded the available funding, which makes this effort in the Senate all the more crucial to see enacted.
CSF thanks Senators Alsobrooks, Cramer, Merkley, and Curtis for introducing the Wildlife Crossings Program Reauthorization Act, and we look forward to working closely with them to see this legislation become law to improve wildlife connectivity and human safety on our nation’s roads, highways, and railways.
