States Receive $126 Million in Funding for Wildlife Crossing Projects from DOT in Seventeen Regions
Fresh Take:
Here's a $126 million injection of federal dollars heading to 17 states – and it's all about helping critters safely traverse our roads! U.S. Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, has greenlit projects that facilitate wildlife crossings for our furry pals like red wolves in North Carolina and Mojave desert tortoises in Nevada.
This moves comes after Duffy reported a hefty backlog – a whopping 3,200 incomplete Biden-era grants – delaying crucial investment in communities nationwide. The grants in question were due to be awarded in 2024, but thanks to Duffy, they're finally getting the go-ahead.
So, which states are letting the green flag fly? Get ready for wildlife crossings springing up in Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Pennsylvania!
Let's take a closer look at a couple of these projects. For instance, in Nevada, the Coyote Springs Tortoise Crossings Project is set to receive a cool $16.83 million to construct 61 wildlife crossings and install 68 miles of protective fencing along U.S. Highway 93. The Mojave desert tortoise, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, is all too often getting squished while trying to make it across the road.
In North Carolina, the DOT will be getting a $25 million grant to create several wildlife underpasses and fencing along U.S. Route 64 within the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Dare County. The goal is to better connect wildlife habitats for endangered red wolves, black bears, and white-tailed deer, thereby lowering wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Speaking of black bears and panthers, Florida's DOT will be receiving $6.1 million for the construction of an underpass on U.S. Highway 27 to give these creatures room to roam safely.
Get this – the latest round of finalized grants also includes six infrastructure projects approved by DOT in 2022! Among these, California, Oregon, and three Native American tribes are all set to receive grant funding for fish passages. Total grant amounts include $6 million for California to improve fish passage in the San Lorenzo River, $9.25 million for Oregon to improve a fish passage under Oregon Route 99, and $7.74 million for Maine's Passmaquoddy Tribe to improve fish access in Downeast Maine's rivers.
Welcome to the future of infrastructure, where community growth and wildlife survival go hand in hand! These projects showcase how federal financial support can pave the way for innovative approaches that prioritize wildlife conservation and create better habitats for our four-legged friends.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) in North Carolina, with a $25 million grant, is focusing on environmental-science by creating wildlife underpasses and fencing along U.S. Route 64 within the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, aiming to lower wildlife-vehicle collisions, benefiting endangered red wolves, black bears, and white-tailed deer. In the realm of science and industry, these infrastructure projects also include six fish passages funded by DOT in 2022, with California, Oregon, and three Native American tribes receiving grants for improving fish passage, thus promoting sustainable finance in the interest of environmental conservation.
