Sponsors (6)
The bill funds and expands federal support for wildlife crossings—making projects feasible for rural, disadvantaged, and tribal communities and providing predictable national funding—at the cost of diverting Highway Trust Fund dollars, reducing local financial leverage, and creating modest administrative and long‑term federal obligations.
Small, rural, and disadvantaged communities and their local governments will see most wildlife crossing project costs covered (grants pay up to 90%, and the Secretary can waive the non‑Federal share up to 100% for hardship), reducing local expense barriers and enabling projects that otherwise couldn't proceed.
Project sponsors, motorists, and conservation stakeholders gain predictable federal funding—$100 million per year (FY2027–FY2031)—which supports ongoing planning and construction of wildlife crossings.
Tribal governments and residents receive improved access to the program through up to 0.5% of funds for tribal application and technical assistance, increasing the likelihood tribes can apply for and implement projects.
Taxpayers, highway and transit users, and transportation programs face a diversion of $100 million per year from the Highway Trust Fund to this program (FY2027–FY2031), potentially reducing available funding for other highway or transit priorities.
Taxpayers could be exposed to a longer‑term federal commitment because removing the program's 'pilot' label expands scope and locks in obligations without a new authorization debate, making future program changes harder.
Local governments and small local partners may contribute less or have weaker buy‑in because higher federal cost shares can crowd out local cost‑share contributions that leverage local investment and commitment.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes $100M/year (FY2027–FY2031) from the Highway Trust Fund for wildlife crossings, makes the program permanent, raises Federal cost shares, and creates tribal/admin set-asides.
Provides $100 million per year from the Highway Trust Fund (excluding the Mass Transit Account) for a federal wildlife crossings grant program for fiscal years 2027–2031, and makes the program permanent by removing the word "pilot" from the statute. It increases federal cost shares for projects in small, rural, or disadvantaged communities (generally to 90% with possible waivers to 100%), and creates small set-asides for tribal application/technical assistance and for program administration and grant review.
Introduced December 17, 2025 by Angela Deneece Alsobrooks · Last progress December 17, 2025