
By Jeff Hunter | Southern Appalachian Director, National Parks Conservation Association
2025 has been an active year for Safe Passage on the legislative front. Here’s an update on our activities and how you can help.
Our outreach to the North Carolina General Assembly brought good news and challenges. The Senate passed a budget that includes $5.1 million for wildlife crossings in each of the next two budget cycles. That’s $10.2 million total and a big step forward!
Unfortunately, the House did not pass a budget and remains at an impasse with the Senate. But we’re not giving up. In 2026, we will redouble our efforts to secure these much-needed appropriations for public safety and wildlife conservation. You can support our efforts by contacting your state legislators and telling them why wildlife crossings in North Carolina matter to you. Personal stories are powerful, so become a storyteller!
Our outreach to Congress in our nation’s capital has resulted in the introduction of bipartisan federal legislation in both the House and Senate that would make the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Wildlife Crossings Program permanent. When passed and enacted into law, the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 will also provide critical funding to states through 2031 to construct wildlife crossings. Here in North Carolina, funding is the biggest obstacle to getting crossings and associated wildlife fencing built — this bill could change that. You can help by finding your representatives and senators and contacting them to express your support for wildlife crossings.
Your support is necessary to keep the momentum going! Please share your enthusiasm for wildlife crossings with your friends, neighbors, family members and co-workers. Together, we can make our roads safer for people and wildlife.
