Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke and Congressman Don Beyer (VA – 08) have introduced the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. The proposed legislation aims to make the Wildlife Crossings Program a permanent part of federal law, extending its authorization through fiscal year 2031. The program provides grant funding to state and tribal governments for building wildlife crossings, such as overpasses and underpasses, to reduce accidents involving wildlife and vehicles and improve habitat connectivity.
Zinke has played a leading role in federal wildlife crossing policy for nearly ten years. As Secretary of the Interior, he signed Secretarial Order 3362 in 2018, directing agencies to collaborate with western states to map and protect migration routes for species like elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. This order laid the foundation for the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program established in 2021. In both 2024 and 2025, Zinke introduced bipartisan legislation to codify these efforts and expand voluntary conservation of migration corridors.
“Wildlife crossings save lives and are good for healthy herds,” said Zinke. “As the Secretary of the Interior I launched the first federal effort to protect big-game migration corridors and dedicate federal dollars to crossings in the west. This bill locks in the progress we started, keeps the funding flowing to the states and tribes that need it most, and ensures Montana families don’t have to risk their lives or lose the wildlife we all cherish driving to work or school.”
Rep. Beyer added: “Every year, more than 1 million wildlife-vehicle collisions are reported across the United States, resulting in human and wildlife fatalities and costing billions of dollars in damages. We know there are proven solutions – such as culverts, bridges and tunnels that allow animals to migrate safely – to reduce these incidents and save lives. Our bill would invest in these solutions by reauthorizing the Wildlife Crossings Program and allowing it to continue funding wildlife-friendly transportation infrastructure that saves lives, lowers costs, and improves road safety for drivers and wildlife alike.”
The act includes several key provisions:
– It permanently authorizes the program by removing “pilot” from federal law.
– Funding authorization is extended through fiscal year 2031.
– Projects led by Indian tribes will be eligible for full federal cost share.
– A dedicated Tribal technical assistance program will help tribes with applications.
– Unobligated funds can carry forward so rural states are not penalized by slow processing.
– Administrative costs remain capped at one-half of one percent.
Montana already serves as a model with active or planned crossings on U.S. Highway 191 in Gallatin Canyon, Highway 93 on Flathead Indian Reservation, among other areas with high collision rates. The state is among top recipients of related federal grants.
Ryan Zinke currently represents Montana’s 1st district in Congress after replacing Steve Daines in 2023 https://www.house.gov/representatives. He previously served in both Congress since 2023 https://zinke.house.gov/about and was a member of Montana Senate from 2009–2013. Born in Bozeman in 1961, Zinke resides in Whitefish.
