Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025
HB6078, the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025, would amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to continue and expand the federal wildlife crossings program. The bill changes the program from a pilot to a standing program and authorizes $200 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to support projects that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity along roads and highways.
The measure also adds implementation details for grant administration. It allows the Secretary of Transportation to reserve up to one-half of 1 percent of program funds for technical assistance to help eligible applicants, especially tribal entities, prepare applications and move projects forward more quickly. It likewise permits up to one-half of 1 percent of funds to be retained for reviewing applications, obligating awards, and carrying out related federal requirements. Any unobligated funds would remain available until expended and would be added to future-year amounts.
A notable policy change is the creation of a 100 percent federal cost share for grants submitted by Indian tribes or other eligible tribal entities described in the bill. This would remove the local match requirement for those applicants and is intended to make the program more accessible to tribal governments. The bill also makes conforming and clerical changes to federal highway law to reflect the program’s new status as an ongoing program rather than a pilot.
The available context shows little recorded controversy or formal opposition: there are no committee transcripts or votes provided, and the bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. The overall sentiment implied by the bill’s bipartisan sponsorship and technical, infrastructure-focused purpose appears generally favorable, with the strongest emphasis on conservation, road safety, and tribal access to funding. Any potential contention would likely center on federal spending levels, the permanence of the authorization, and the special 100 percent federal share for tribal projects, though no explicit objections are documented here.
The bill would amend section 11101(d) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and section 171 of title 23, United States Code, converting the wildlife crossings pilot into an ongoing federal program. It would authorize $200 million annually for FY 2026-2031, establish tribal-specific cost-share and technical assistance provisions, and adjust federal grant administration rules for wildlife crossing projects. These changes would affect the Department of Transportation, state transportation agencies, tribal governments, and other eligible applicants seeking funding for wildlife crossing infrastructure.
The bill appears to have a broadly positive and bipartisan tone, with introduction by Representatives Beyer and Zinke suggesting cross-party support. Because the measure is focused on transportation safety, wildlife conservation, and tribal access to funding, it is likely to be viewed favorably by environmental, safety, and infrastructure stakeholders. No votes or hearing testimony are provided, so there is no documented opposition in the available record.
No explicit contention is documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, if raised, would include the size and duration of the authorization, the use of federal funds for a specialized infrastructure program, and the bill’s 100 percent federal cost share for tribal applicants. Those issues would most likely concern fiscal conservatives, budget watchdogs, or stakeholders debating federal versus local responsibility, while tribal advocates would likely support the enhanced access and full federal funding.