U.S. Policy Preview: Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act

There are currently three bipartisan bills in Congress to make the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) permanent and reauthorize funding for the program through 2031.

The WCPP was originally established in 2021 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), with a 5-year timeline and fixed funding of $350 million to fund critical wildlife crossing projects around the U.S. In the first round (2022-2023), with ~$112 million available, 67 applications from 34 states requested $549 million in WCPP funds. In the second round (2024-2025), with $125 million available, 61 applications from 28 states requested $585 million. The WCPP has seen demand outpace available funding by nearly five-fold, with the final round of grant funding expected to be noticed this spring.

H.R. 6078: Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

S.3503 Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

S.3556 Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

All three pieces of proposed legislation share the same title of the ‘Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act.’ In November 2025, Representatives Beyer (D-VA) and Zinke (R-MT) introduced the H.R. 6078 in the House. A month later, two bills to reauthorize WCPP were introduced on the same day in the Senate: S.3556 by Senators Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cramer (R-ND), Merkley (D-OR) and Curtis (R-UT), and S.3503 by Senators Heinrich (D-NM) and Sheehy (R-MT).

Currently, all three bills address making the current WCPP permanent and authorizing funding from 2027-2031, with S.3556 differing in total funding levels and cost share provisions. The following is a summary of key provisions of each bill:

H.R. 6078: Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Sponsors: Beyer (D-VA-8) introduced 11/18/2025
Cosponsors [*=Original cosponsor]: Zinke (R-MT-1)*
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
Companion bill to S. 3503

Current provisions:

Amends the IIJA to make the current wildlife crossing pilot program permanent
Reauthorizes the new program at $200M per year over 5 years (2027-2031), totaling $1 billion
Authorizes federal cost share for Tribes at 100%
Sets aside administrative funds for a tribal technical assistance program (‘may use’) and program administration

S.3503: Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Sponsor: Heinrich (D-NM) introduced 12/19/2025
Cosponsors [*=Original cosponsor]: Sheehy (R-MT)*, Sen. Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Coons (D-DE)
Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Companion bill to H.R. 6078

Current provisions:

Amends the IIJA make the current wildlife crossing pilot program permanent
Reauthorize the new program at $200M per year over 5 years (2027-2031), totaling $1 billion
Authorizes federal cost share for Tribes at 100%
Sets aside administrative funds for a tribal technical assistance program (‘shall use’) and program administration

S.3556 Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Sponsor: Sen Alsobrooks (D-MD) introduced 12/19/2025
Cosponsors [*=Original cosponsor]: Sen Cramer (R-ND)*, Sen Merkley (D-OR)*, Sen Curtis (R-UT)*, Sen. McCormick (R-PA) and Sen. Schiff (D-CA)
Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

Current provisions:

Amends the IIJA make the current wildlife crossing pilot program permanent
Reauthorizes the new program at $100M per year over 5 years (2027-2031), totaling $500 million
Increases the Federal-share of funding to 90% for “small, rural, and disadvantaged communities,” while also allowing the Secretary flexibility to increase the Federal-share to 100% in cases where the applicant is “unable to pay, or would experience significant financial hardship if required to pay, the non-Federal share.” 
Sets aside administrative funds for a tribal technical assistance program (‘may use’) and program administration

Please note: This digest is intended to provide up-to-date information on policy development from a neutral, unaffiliated position as it relates to connectivity and corridor science and management.

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Hampshire	2026	SB592	Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors
New Hampshire	2019	SB200	Requires the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to consider fish and wildlife crossings and mitigation measures in all future road and culvert projects
New Hampshire	2016	SB376	Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations for legislative changes

State	Year	Policy	Description
Maine	2023	LD258	Appropriates $7.5 million to Department of Transportation to improve roadways with potential adaptations for wildlife
Maine	2023	LD1881	Establishes compensation fee program relating to fish and wildlife habitats and associated corridors, including compensation paid by solar energy development
Maine	2023	LD508	Requires Department of Environmental Protection to review its permitting laws concerning climate change, habitat connectivity, ecological resilience, and coastal environments

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Jersey	2025	S3618	Directs state agencies to develop a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Jersey	2024	S3916/A5486	Expands eligibility for existing wildlife fencing programs by including farmers leasing farmland
New Jersey	2007	NJAC7:13	Requires the state to incorporate wildlife crossings or a natural bank for terrestrial threatened and endangered species and/or species of concern when a new bridge or culvert project would cause habitat fragmentation

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Mexico	2023	SB72	Appropriates money to new Wildlife Corridors Fund for implementation of wildlife crossing projects under New Mexico Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Mexico	2022	HB 2	Allocates funding for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and allows the Department of Transportation and Department of Game to implement their Wildlife Corridors Action Plan
New Mexico	2019	SB 228	Requires the creation of a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that includes comprehensive guidance to agencies for identifying, prioritizing and maintaining important areas for wildlife movement

State	Year	Policy	Description
Washington	2023	HB1216/SB5196	Requires Department of Ecology to prepare environmental impact statements for clean energy projects that consider impacts to habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors
Washington	2022	SB5689	Provides funding for US 97 Wildlife Crossing Improvements project
Washington	2019	SEO 1031.02	Recognizes the effect of roadways in creating barriers to wildlife movement, breeding, and migrations; the Washington State Department of Transportation will promote and support Practical Solutions and Planning and Environmental Linkages to integrate habitat connectivity and biodiversity plans; will make use of the highway prioritization map known as Habitat Connectivity Investment Priorities; and will corporate and coordinate with other agencies involved in wildlife habitat protection, specifically along highways

Connecting Science to Conservation

U.S. Policy Preview: Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act

H.R. 6078: Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

S.3503 Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

S.3556 Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

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State	Year	Policy	Description
Wyoming	2026	SF0052	Allocates funds for restoration of aquatic habitats including barrier removal for fish
Wyoming	2025	SF0088	Allocates funds for projects improving wildlife connectivity including fence removal, wildlife crossings improvements, and habitat restoration
Wyoming	2024	SF0060	Provides funds to help maintain primary migration corridors for ungulates in the Little Snake River Conservation District
Wyoming	2023	SF0106	Provides funds for large wildlife crossing projects across the state
Wyoming	2022	SF0048	Approves funding for specific wildlife crossings and aquatic connectivity initiatives
Wyoming	2021	SF066	Provides funds for large wildlife crossing projects across the state
Wyoming	2020	EO 1	Designates three mule deer migration corridors and establishes the process whereby future corridors can be designated
Wyoming	2020	HB 69	Establishes a system wherein funding from outdoor recreation can be appropriated for wildlife conservation efforts related to the state’s transportation system
Wyoming	2018	HB39	Proceeds from the newly established wildlife conservation license plates are allocated to wildlife connectivity improvements to the state transportation system

State	Year	Policy	Description
Vermont	2023	Act59	Vermont's 30x30 law that commits to conserving and maintaining an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity and maintains landscape connectivity
Vermont	2016	Act 171	Primarily focuses on timber harvesting regulations, but calls for a study of necessary revisions to planning statutes that protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity between forestlands

State	Year	Policy	Description
Colorado	2026	SB141	Creates optional collision prevention fee to fund wildlife safe passage projects
Colorado	2025	HB1093	Restricts local limits on residential density unless offset elsewhere, exempts areas near wildlife crossings, and allows municipalities to seek judicial review of land use initiatives
Colorado	2023	SB 23-092	Encourages minimal impacts to wildlife migration corridors when constructing solar panel farms
Colorado	2023	SB 214	Appropriates funding to the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund for wildlife crossing projects
Colorado	2022	SB22-151	Creates a $5 million fund for measures that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect habitat fragmented by roads
Colorado	2022	HB22-1072	Expands the scope of Habitat Partnership Program to fund efforts to conserve wildlife migration
Colorado	2021	SJR 21-021	Aims to protect and enhance habitat connectivity in the state through the establishment of a working group to develop state policies on corridors, as well as the commission of a report on state corridors and voluntary policies to support willing landowners in improving connectivity
Colorado	2019	EO 11	Directs Colorado agencies to identify policy, regulatory, and legislative opportunities to ensure the ongoing conservation of seasonal big game habitat and migration corridors
Colorado	2018	SB 18-143	States explicit goals for Division of Parks and Wildlife to invest in habitat conservation and wildlife crossings

State	Year	Policy	Description
Florida	2024	SB1638	Dedicates annual funding to land purchases, conservation easements, and trail maintenance within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	HB1379	Creates annual appropriation to acquire lands that complete certain linkages and are under high population stress within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	SB2500 sec.146	Provides funding to buy Ocala to Osceola (“O2O”) Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2021	SB976	Tasks state agencies with maintaining wildlife connectivity and designates Florida Wildlife Corridor as an existing physical, geographically defined area
Florida	2021	SB2500	Appropriates $300 million to acquire lands to conserve Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2019	SB7068	Creates a "Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program" that includes protection of wildlife corridors as an intended benefit
Florida	2008	SB542	Amends Florida Forever Act statues to include goals of connecting linkage corridors
Florida	2001	SB1468	Amends Florida Forever Act to establish that land acquisitions should include complete landscape linkages and corridors
Florida	1999	S908	Creates Florida Forever Program, with increased protection of lands that protect threatened or endangered species and plans to create a statewide system of connected landscape linkages