Support Needed for H.R. 8438 to Reduce Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

I am writing as your constituent to urge your support for the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act (H.R. 8438). This is important to my family as we have experienced the repeated and costly consequences of vehicle collisions with deer. We have had cars damaged and several near-misses on local roads where deer and other wildlife routinely cross at dawn and dusk. These incidents have not only caused financial hardship but also pose a real danger to life and limb, both ours and the deer. While our county may not be the *most* affected in our state, still, a high number of animal-related crashes/strikes demonstrates an urgent need. Regional planning efforts, encouraged by this Act, and statewide connectivity mapping, show corridors and candidate locations where underpasses, culvert retrofits, and fencing would be most effective at reducing collisions and preserving habitat connectivity. Targeted, evidence-based interventions like these are far less costly over time than repeated vehicle repairs, emergency response, and medical bills. The Act’s funding for coordinated mapping and competitive grants would enable our county to perform site-specific assessments, install crossings on high-risk roads, and support conservation easements on private lands that serve as critical links between wetlands, bottomlands, and forest patches. Aligning federal, state, tribal, and local resources through this legislation will allow communities like ours to access technical assistance and construction funds rather than bearing the costs alone. These investments also protect ecosystem services—water quality, pollination, and pest control—that benefit our farms, parks, and neighborhoods. Please support the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in our county, protect families and first responders, and strengthen the long-term resilience of our state’s natural landscapes.