Sponsors (4)
The bill directs stable, dedicated federal funding to build wildlife crossings—improving safety and enabling tribal projects without local matches—while shifting $200M/year from the Highway Trust Fund and creating competitive and administrative trade‑offs for other transportation priorities.
Drivers and residents in and near tribal and rural lands will see fewer vehicle–wildlife collisions and improved road safety because the bill provides $200 million per year (FY2027–FY2031) dedicated to building wildlife crossings.
Tribal governments can build eligible wildlife crossings without local matching funds because the program authorizes a 100% federal share for tribal applicants, removing local cost barriers and increasing project uptake on tribal lands.
Project sponsors (tribal, state, and local governments) gain planning and delivery flexibility because program funds are available until expended, allowing multi-year projects to proceed without annual lapse pressure.
Taxpayers and state transportation programs may face reduced resources for other highway or transit priorities because the bill directs $200 million per year from the Highway Trust Fund to this program.
Non‑tribal applicants (state and local governments) could be disadvantaged competitively because tribes can receive a 100% federal share while non‑tribal applicants may still need matching funds, shifting funding dynamics.
A small portion of funds will be used for program administration and review because the Secretary may retain up to 0.5% annually, modestly reducing the amount reaching projects.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes $200M/year from the Highway Trust Fund for wildlife crossing grants for FY2027–FY2031, removes the "pilot" label, and adds tribal 100% federal share plus small tribal/admin set‑asides.
Introduced December 16, 2025 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress December 16, 2025
Authorizes $200 million per year from the Highway Trust Fund (excluding the Mass Transit Account) for a wildlife crossings grant program for FY2027–FY2031 and makes several statutory changes to the existing program. It removes the program’s “pilot” label, sets a 100% federal share for eligible tribal recipients, allows up to 0.5% of annual funds for tribal technical assistance, and permits up to 0.5% for grant review and administration; funds are available until expended.