WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today applauded the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for announcing the award of more than $109 million in Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) grants made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“With more than a million wildlife-vehicle collisions each year in the United States, it’s clear that there’s a real need to improve roadway safety and address habitat fragmentation, which drives biodiversity loss,” said Senator Carper. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re doing just that. The projects funded by the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program will help reduce roadway injuries and boost crucial habitat conservation efforts across our nation — a win-win. I am pleased that the Federal Highway Administration is getting these dollars on the ground, and I look forward to hearing more from the agency about their implementation of this important program during our upcoming EPW Committee hearing.”
BACKGROUND
As EPW Chairman, Senator Carper helped create and secure $350 million for the WCPP as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The new program at FHWA provides competitive grants for projects that seek to reduce the amount of wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity. Today’s announcement is the first since the program’s creation — awarding 19 projects nationwide, totaling $109,580,582.
Source: EPW Senate
