Congress·In Committee·H.R. 717

Congress proposes matching grants for wildlife corridors, crossings, and migration research

Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act of 2025

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Creates a new Interior Department grant program to help states, tribes, and partners improve wildlife movement areas.
Grant money could pay for things like wildlife-friendly fences, habitat leases and easements, safer road designs, and projects that reduce animal-car crashes.
Most projects would need at least a 10% non-federal match, but the match can be waived for tribes, disadvantaged communities, or persistent-poverty areas.
Sets up a separate research program to help states and tribes collect and analyze migration data, and continues USGS work to map movement areas.
Adds a coordinator role at Interior and says the program can’t force non-voluntary changes to farming, ranching, forestry, energy/mining access, or private property rights.

EnvironmentTransportationInfrastructureAgriculture

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(4)

Small Business Owner

Neutral

Farmer Rancher

Neutral

Gun Owner

Neutral

Federal Employee

Neutral

Positive Impacts(2)

Tribal Member

Helps

Child Tax Credit

Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Jan 23, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 180 days after the bill becomes law

Interior sets up the new Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program

New grant funding pathway starts getting organized, but people won’t see projects yet until money is appropriated and grants are awarded.

Within 180 days after the bill becomes law

Interior sets up the State and Tribal Migration Research Program

States and Tribes can begin planning for migration data collection and analysis funding through Fish and Wildlife Service’s science staff.

Within 1 year after the bill becomes law

Interior signs a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to run the competitive grants

After this agreement, the Foundation becomes the main place applicants send proposals, and federal grant money can be advanced to the Foundation for awards.

Within 180 days after Congress provides money for the grant program

First grant application round opens after funding is provided

States, Tribes, nonprofits, counties, and universities can apply for projects like fence fixes, habitat leases, easements, and road changes to reduce wildlife crashes.

At least once each year after the first request for proposals

Annual grant rounds continue

If funded, communities can expect recurring chances to apply, which helps plan multi-year corridor and habitat work.

2025-10-01

Funding window for authorized appropriations begins

If Congress funds it, grant awards, research funding, and mapping support could start flowing during federal fiscal years 2026–2031.

Annually after work continues under the bill, if funded

USGS publishes migration mapping analyses each year

States, Tribes, and local planners may get updated public maps and reports that can guide where crossings, fence changes, and habitat work will matter most.

At least once every 2 years after programs are running

Biennial reporting on funded projects

People can see which projects were funded and what they achieved, which can build trust and help communities push for fixes in high-crash areas.

Related News

4 articles

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership·about 1 year ago

New Legislation Aims to Codify Highly Successful USDA Migratory Big Game Initiative

Explains the Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act’s goal of formalizing federal support for big-game migration corridor conservation and related voluntary assistance to states, Tribes, and landowners.

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Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership·about 1 year ago

TRCP Applauds Reintroduction of Bipartisan Public Land, Migration Bills

Advocacy/press statement supporting the bill and describing its purpose: authorizing/continuing federal migration-corridor and connectivity programs through partnerships and voluntary conservation.

CR+

National Wildlife Federation·about 1 year ago

Legislation Will Conserve Public Lands, Wildlife Migration Corridors

Press release describing the bill’s intent to reconnect habitats and support state/Tribal and landowner collaboration to sustain wildlife migration routes and reduce fragmentation impacts.

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