Sponsors (4)
The bill creates dedicated, multi-year funding and tribal-focused support for wildlife crossings—improving road safety and tribal access to projects—but it does so by drawing from the Highway Trust Fund and retaining small administrative set-asides, which may reduce resources available for other transportation priorities.
Rural communities and local governments get a stable, dedicated $200 million per year (FY2027–2031) for wildlife crossings, which supports safer roads and reduces vehicle–wildlife collisions.
Tribal governments and residents on tribal lands can build eligible wildlife-crossing projects with a 100% federal share (no local match) and receive up to 0.5% annually in technical-assistance support to help apply for and deliver projects, improving tribal access to funding and project delivery.
Program funds are available until expended, allowing state and local governments to plan and complete multi-year wildlife-crossing projects without being forced by fiscal-year expiration pressures.
The $200 million per year is paid from the Highway Trust Fund (excluding the Mass Transit Account), reducing HTF balances that could otherwise support other highway programs nationwide.
Concentrating new dedicated HTF dollars on wildlife crossings may shift prioritization and scarce Highway Trust Fund resources away from other local transportation needs, potentially delaying other projects.
The program allows retaining up to 0.5% for administration and up to 0.5% for tribal assistance (up to 1% total), which reduces the share of program funding that goes to on-the-ground projects.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes $200M/year (FY2027–2031) for the wildlife crossings program, adds tribal 100% federal share and small set‑asides for tribal assistance and administration.
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 the federal wildlife crossings grant program for fiscal years 2027–2031 and makes targeted program rule changes. It directs 100% federal funding for eligible tribal grantees, requires small annual set‑asides (up to 0.5% each) for tribal technical assistance and for grant administration, and makes clerical updates to the statutory text.