Environment Virginia is a non-profit organization with thousands of members across Virginia. Protecting wildlife and improving habitat connectivity are top priorities for us and our members. We thank Delegate Simonds for introducing HB 597 and express our support for it.
Wildlife habitat in Virginia is increasingly fragmented by roads and buildings. This makes it hard for animals to migrate and roam in search of food and mates. It also forces them to cross busy roads, leading to dangerous crashes. Virginia is in the top ten states for wildlife-vehicle collisions with over 60,000 deer collisions per year on average. It’s not just deer however; black bears, elk, and many smaller animals from opossums to salamanders are hit every year. Aquatic species are also impacted when roads and poorly designed culverts restrict the flow of rivers and streams, preventing aquatic wildlife from migrating and accessing the habitat they need.
Wildlife-vehicle conflict, including direct collisions and other crashes such as when a car swerves to avoid hitting an animal, leads to many significant injuries and even deaths. In addition to the human cost, wildlife-vehicle conflict is estimated to cost Virginia about $533 million annually when considering things like property damage, medical costs, and clean-up from collisions.
Wildlife crossings are a proven solution to this problem. They provide wildlife safe paths to cross under or over roads, preventing dangerous collisions and connecting habitat. When fencing was added around existing underpasses on I-64 west of Charlottesville, collisions were reduced over 96%. Avoiding the costs of these collisions also paid for the project within two years. Other studies have corroborated that wildlife crossings are cost-effective when properly sited, especially when wildlife connectivity planning is included early in infrastructure development. In order to protect Virginians and the incredible wildlife we live with, we need more wildlife crossings now.
Virginia already has a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan (WCAP) that was published in 2023. In 2025, $450,000 was allocated to a wildlife crossing project in Loudoun County, the first state money put towards implementing the WCAP. Having a good plan was an important first step, but we need a fund to actually get wildlife crossings built. That’s where this bill comes in.
Having a fund in place will allow money to be allocated towards building crossings, as well as research and maintenance. This bill does not have a fiscal impact and instead includes voluntary donation options through tax returns and DMV transactions to add money to the fund. Having a fund in place will also allow private donations, something which has had a lot of success in North Carolina for funding wildlife crossings, and also help Virginia apply for grants from NGOs and the federal government, many of which require matching funds that the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund could provide. Having a fund in place is essential to implementing the WCAP.
Wildlife crossings are a common sense way to improve habitat connectivity and protect people on the road. We need more wildlife crossings now, and HB 597 will make that happen. Please vote YES on HB 597 to create the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund.
Environment Virginia is a non-profit organization with thousands of members across Virginia. Protecting wildlife and improving habitat connectivity are top priorities for us and our members. We thank Delegate Simonds for introducing HB 597 and express our support for it. Wildlife habitat in Virginia is increasingly fragmented by roads and buildings. This makes it hard for animals to migrate and roam in search of food and mates. It also forces them to cross busy roads, leading to dangerous crashes. Virginia is in the top ten states for wildlife-vehicle collisions with over 60,000 deer collisions per year on average. It’s not just deer however; black bears, elk, and many smaller animals from opossums to salamanders are hit every year. Aquatic species are also impacted when roads and poorly designed culverts restrict the flow of rivers and streams, preventing aquatic wildlife from migrating and accessing the habitat they need. Wildlife-vehicle conflict, including direct collisions and other crashes such as when a car swerves to avoid hitting an animal, leads to many significant injuries and even deaths. In addition to the human cost, wildlife-vehicle conflict is estimated to cost Virginia about $533 million annually when considering things like property damage, medical costs, and clean-up from collisions. Wildlife crossings are a proven solution to this problem. They provide wildlife safe paths to cross under or over roads, preventing dangerous collisions and connecting habitat. When fencing was added around existing underpasses on I-64 west of Charlottesville, collisions were reduced over 96%. Avoiding the costs of these collisions also paid for the project within two years. Other studies have corroborated that wildlife crossings are cost-effective when properly sited, especially when wildlife connectivity planning is included early in infrastructure development. In order to protect Virginians and the incredible wildlife we live with, we need more wildlife crossings now. Virginia already has a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan (WCAP) that was published in 2023. In 2025, $450,000 was allocated to a wildlife crossing project in Loudoun County, the first state money put towards implementing the WCAP. Having a good plan was an important first step, but we need a fund to actually get wildlife crossings built. That’s where this bill comes in. Having a fund in place will allow money to be allocated towards building crossings, as well as research and maintenance. This bill does not have a fiscal impact and instead includes voluntary donation options through tax returns and DMV transactions to add money to the fund. Having a fund in place will also allow private donations, something which has had a lot of success in North Carolina for funding wildlife crossings, and also help Virginia apply for grants from NGOs and the federal government, many of which require matching funds that the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund could provide. Having a fund in place is essential to implementing the WCAP. Wildlife crossings are a common sense way to improve habitat connectivity and protect people on the road. We need more wildlife crossings now, and HB 597 will make that happen. Please vote YES on HB 597 to create the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund.