119 HR 8438 IH: Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026
U.S. House of Representatives
2026-04-22
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EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026
. (b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Title I—SCIENCE AND MAPPING OF WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND HABITAT CONNECTIVITY
Sec. 101. Program establishment.
Title II—COLLABORATION, PARTNERSHIP, AND CONSERVATION OF AMERICAN WILDLIFE CORRIDORS
Sec. 201. Establishment of National Wildlife Corridors System on Federal land and water.
Sec. 202. Nominations of National Wildlife Corridors and prioritization criteria.
Sec. 203. Management of National Wildlife Corridors.
Sec. 204. Resource sharing and coordination.
Sec. 205. Coordinating committee.
Sec. 206. Effect.
Sec. 207. Regulations.
Title III—WILDLIFE CORRIDOR GRANT PROGRAM ON NON–FEDERAL LAND AND WATER
Sec. 301. Wildlife corridor grant program.
Title IV—FUNDING
Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations.
2.
(a)Congress finds that— (1)the native fish, wildlife, and plant species in the United States are part of a rich natural heritage and an important legacy to pass on to future generations;
(2)the populations of many native fish, wildlife, and plant species in the United States are in decline; (3)scientists estimate that, in the United States, 34 percent of plants and 40 percent of animals are at risk of extinction and 41 percent of ecosystems are at risk of range-wide collapse;
(4)threats to the survival and diversity of many native fish, wildlife, and plant species in the United States include the loss, degradation, fragmentation, and obstruction of natural habitats; (5)habitat fragmentation reduces native biodiversity and impairs key ecosystem functions;
(6)climate change threatens native fish, wildlife, and plant species; (7)the document published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services titled Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services
(2019) found that—
(A)1,000,000 wildlife and plant species worldwide are now threatened with extinction; and (B)75 percent of the land-based environment, and approximately 66 percent of the marine environment, have been significantly altered by human actions;
(8)the conservation of new and existing landscape and seascape corridors, through which native species can transition from one habitat to another, plays an important role in helping— (A)to conserve native biodiversity; and
(B)to ensure resiliency against impacts from a range of biotic and abiotic stressors; (9)the conservation, restoration, and establishment of new ecological connections to facilitate the movement of species into more suitable habitats is a key climate change adaptation strategy;
(10)the protection of new and existing corridors is often one of the first steps in restoration and recovery planning; (11)States have recognized the importance of habitat connectivity, including through—
(A)at least 83 pieces of State legislation passed in 20 States since 2019, which have supported actions including identification of wildlife corridors and coordination of State agencies, Tribes, non-governmental organizations, and other partners to address habitat connectivity issues; and (B)a New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers’ Conference on the importance of connectivity for ecosystem adaptability and resilience, biodiversity, and human communities; and
(12)Federal policies consistently recognize the importance of voluntary improvement projects by private landowners to habitat conservation and restoration for native species. (b)The purposes of this Act are—
(1)to support a natural diversity of native species, including species protected under Federal, State, and Tribal law, that have experienced or may experience diminished habitat connectivity due to habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, or obstruction; (2)to provide long-term habitat connectivity for native species migration, dispersal, adaptation to climate and other environmental change, and genetic exchange;
(3)to restore wildlife movements that have been disrupted by habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, or obstruction; (4)to facilitate coordinated landscape and seascape-scale connectivity planning and management across jurisdictions; and
(5)to support State, Tribal, local, voluntary private landowner, and Federal agency decisionmakers in the planning and development of National Wildlife Corridors. 3.In this Act:
(1)Appropriate committees of CongressThe term appropriate committees of Congress means— (A)the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate;
(B)the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate; (C)the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(D)the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; (E)the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and
(F)the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2)The term connectivity means the degree to which the landscape or seascape facilitates wildlife movement to achieve—
(A)dispersal and genetic exchange between populations; (B)range shifting, range expansion, or range restoration, such as in response to climate change;
(C)seasonal movement or migration; or (D)succession, movement, or recolonization following—
(i)a disturbance, such as fire, flood, drought, or infestation; or (ii)population decline or previous extirpation.
(3)The term Coordinating Committee means the Coordinating Committee established under section 205(a). (4)The term corridor means a feature of the landscape or seascape that provides habitat connectivity.
(5)The term Federal land or water means any land or water, or interest in land or water, owned by the United States. (6)The term grant program means the wildlife movement grant program established by section 301(a).
(7)The term habitat means land, water, and substrate that supports or may support in the future the life cycle of a native species that facilitates, with respect to the native species, spawning, breeding, feeding, growth to maturity, or migration. (8)The term Indian land means land of an Indian Tribe, or an Indian individual, that is—
(A)held in trust by the United States; or (B)subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States.
(9)The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). (10)The term land use management plan means a land use management plan developed pursuant to—
(A)section 100502 of title 54, United States Code; (B)section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712);
(C)section 4(e) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(e)); (D)section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604); or
(E)section 202 of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670h). (11)National Wildlife CorridorThe term National Wildlife Corridor means any Federal land or water designated as a National Wildlife Corridor pursuant to section 201(a).
(12)National Wildlife Corridor SystemThe term National Wildlife Corridor System means the system of National Wildlife Corridors established by section 201(a). (13)The term native species means—
(A)a fish, wildlife, aquatic organism, or plant species that is or was historically present in a particular ecosystem as a result of behavioral or evolutionary processes, including subspecies and plant varieties; and (B)a migratory bird species that is native to the United States or its territories (as that term is defined in section 2(b)(2)(A) of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703(b)(2)(A))).
(14)Regional ocean partnershipThe term regional ocean partnership means a regional organization of coastal or Great Lakes States, territories, or possessions voluntarily convened by Governors to address cross-jurisdictional ocean matters, or the functional equivalent of such a regional ocean organization designated by the Governor or Governors of a State or States. (15)The term Secretaries means—
(A)the Secretary of Agriculture; (B)the Secretary of Commerce;
(C)the Secretary of Defense; (D)the Secretary of the Interior; and
(E)the Secretary of Transportation. (16)The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(17)The term Secretary concerned
means each of the Secretaries with administrative jurisdiction over the Federal land or water at issue. (18)The term United States, when used in a geographical sense, means—
(A)a State; (B)the District of Columbia;
(C)the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (D)Guam;
(E)American Samoa; (F)the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
(G)the Federated States of Micronesia; (H)the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
(I)the Republic of Palau; (J)the United States Virgin Islands; and
(K)the territorial sea (within the meaning of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)) and the exclusive economic zone (as that term is defined in section 3 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1802)) within the jurisdiction or sovereignty of the Federal Government. (19)The term wildlife movement means the passage of individual members or populations of native species across a landscape or seascape.
<enum>I</enum><header>SCIENCE AND MAPPING OF WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND HABITAT CONNECTIVITY</header>
<section id="H501D9728BF5A4EF2895A16B4B407E04B"><enum>101.</enum><header>Program establishment</header>
<subsection id="H60DB52B2643D4658B0134C60A1498FA2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>The Director shall establish and maintain a habitat connectivity mapping and science program to carry out this section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H29336486F2464AF8BEFBA9DD496BE344"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The purpose of the program is to develop mapping and science to support Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments and the public in efforts to protect habitat connectivity.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HD1280C5144214A3F8A8BCA7A88D47F94"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Wildlife movement and habitat connectivity mapping</header>
<paragraph id="HF8A683AEE746495C8DCAAE82EDC1C479"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Mapping efforts</header><text>The Director shall expand and build upon existing agency efforts to map habitat connectivity for native species. Such efforts shall include working with, incorporating data from, and sharing data between—</text> <subparagraph id="H2DE1472FDACB4250BFE233EF708FF084"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Federal agencies;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H914C068C654A43D798C0DC389CDDA20D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>State, Tribal, and local governments;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE2362781A1204E27B81796D5751ED196"><enum>(C)</enum><text>nongovernmental organizations; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H845FBA0B043A44F68B12AF32B0E5FB75"><enum>(D)</enum><text>academic institutions.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H85FE2AFB34C04D4A81DDC914E491FE68"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Use of technology</header><text>The Director shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H749DB35065CD4698858CE51F56F34935"><enum>(A)</enum><text>use new data management, visualization, and analysis capabilities to analyze wildlife movements and delineate habitat connectivity; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HEE2E2143092E493BB1C53AC8125644C8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>share these capabilities with Federal, State, local, and Tribal wildlife managers.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HBFB114E10EA648D38085841A90CD95F4"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Distribution of maps</header><text>The Director shall develop and make available to the public—</text> <subparagraph id="HF7ED869E37B94496A924AFBD468B637F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a database of corridors and habitat connectivity; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H7876010509B0449FBE498094859998C8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>maps of habitat connectivity and National Wildlife Corridors to guide land-use planning and on-the-ground management of native species.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9FB044E5D2374F46B274B5B0B5FCE2E5"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report that—</text>
<subparagraph id="H96CEB8BBDA60417FB35217FE7E6C8C3C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provides an assessment of existing maps, data, models, surveys, and descriptions of habitat connectivity that have been developed by—</text> <clause id="H54325B8A761F4D1696F6A2C30B663519"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Federal, State, Tribal, and local fish and wildlife agencies and natural heritage programs;</text></clause>
<clause id="HC4276CAEAC7C46B39F7380E40155D99D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>nongovernmental organizations; and</text></clause> <clause id="H0BE19A0AC2854DCE81EA91DD9A1865D9"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>industry; and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H00CE2BD6C9ED4873A5B0BECE7A8B3135"><enum>(B)</enum><text>identifies gaps in information about corridors and habitat connectivity.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2C4710DEF1464E5280A5D209CE7722B4"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Proprietary interests and protected information</header><text>In carrying out this section, the Director shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="HEECD18CD754448FDACE709F6EC421103"><enum>(A)</enum><text>protect proprietary interests with respect to confidential information and licensed data; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7F05472E0A7042029A94F7CCFAECFDA1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>protect such information relating to the habitats and ranges of specific native fish and wildlife as the Director determines appropriate to protect such fish and wildlife.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H37D7D31462794336A7E0388556583116"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Wildlife movement and habitat connectivity research</header><text>The Director shall conduct research to help guide management of National Wildlife Corridors, including—</text> <paragraph id="HE7F4F8922C104BBD9F1D3EA72BB938F6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a study to evaluate the impacts of climate change on habitat connectivity and forecast how National Wildlife Corridors may need to shift to allow native species to adapt;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H81253D3E06324FE3B297620FA9079CE6"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a study to quantify the effect of ongoing and planned development on habitat connectivity and National Wildlife Corridors;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H37EB8BCC1340401E9FCBD637CEC5B382"><enum>(3)</enum><text>a study to develop new mapping methods to prioritize critical corridors and habitat connectivity areas; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0B75EF3239544836B4486CD4BE238668"><enum>(4)</enum><text>a study to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to address habitat fragmentation and mitigation barriers to habitat connectivity.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H8FC67048F0B242E9BFB945D9098AEC26"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text>
<paragraph id="H0E92390E4C184AECB87D9F784009150D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Director</header><text>The term <term>Director</term> means the Director of the United States Geological Survey.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEB6012B20024475F8E71E415A22EC350"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Program</header><text>The term <term>program</term> means the habitat connectivity mapping and science program established by the Director under subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<enum>II</enum><header>COLLABORATION, PARTNERSHIP, AND CONSERVATION OF AMERICAN WILDLIFE CORRIDORS</header>
<section id="HB2AE880D2944456A8AAEE86E53C83B81"><enum>201.</enum><header>Establishment of National Wildlife Corridors System on Federal land and water</header>
<subsection id="HF13A7A6D116744F2BABFFD6DC8F7D251"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There is established a system of corridors on Federal land and water, to be known as the <quote>National Wildlife Corridor System</quote>, which shall consist of National Wildlife Corridors designated as part of the National Wildlife Corridor System by—</text> <paragraph id="HFE83F96439604EC0A9B5386130D21DB1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>statute;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE83EB5D210C5442DA8095126D739A0A9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>rulemaking; or</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HDEBA7B5439FD42B38C1249B875872721"><enum>(3)</enum><text>a land use management plan developed or revised by the Secretaries.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H267EC748EDEF4053A5EC020974DCB996"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Strategy</header><text>Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop a strategy for the effective development of the National Wildlife Corridor System—</text> <paragraph id="HCE8ED62599BB44FC9E45D233AE2F0AB4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to support the fulfillment of the purposes described in section 2(b);</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HED6F3599E54444F584DFA28985E81B0F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to ensure coordination and consistency across Federal agencies in the development, implementation, and management of National Wildlife Corridors; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1E8A0F617D1F40AFA9DDE2A6B93D8503"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to develop a timeline for the implementation of National Wildlife Corridors.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="H5D37FB897F064B328E3D2381E0D137FF"><enum>202.</enum><header>Nominations of National Wildlife Corridors and prioritization criteria</header>
<subsection id="HCA9DED8EEA1C4D0BBFF88A95F3FDF31D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Partner nominations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">State, Tribal, and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and collaborative partnerships may nominate Federal lands and waters as National Wildlife Corridors.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H634F57FC6A3044AEBEDC25A931EF1A25"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Coordinating Committee nominations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Coordinating Committee shall, not later than 2 years after the date on which the Coordinating Committee is established and not less frequently than every 5 years thereafter, nominate habitat connectivity areas to be designated as National Wildlife Corridors.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HFE277FB0603B40A18AE690FAE80232FC"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Nominated areas</header><text>With respect to any area for which the Secretary concerned receives a nomination under subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary concerned shall make a determination not later than 1 year after the date on which the Secretary concerned receives such nomination.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HB3E0C3AFDB374A13970E4D7A6FD87094"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Prioritization criteria</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretaries shall establish criteria to determine which habitat connectivity areas to designate as National Wildlife Corridors. Such criteria shall include—</text>
<paragraph id="H5516C958DD51458EBB30EB3E7CCABEDC"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">support from the best available science relating to—</text> <subparagraph id="H5ACF766C371544AFBE00A0BDD75CDE29"><enum>(A)</enum><text>existing habitat connectivity; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H280FB18B0AE14EAEA8EB2F926F043303"><enum>(B)</enum><text>potential future habitat connectivity;</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7E27186E516B42CFB34173987E38108F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>whether the Federal land or water merits inclusion within the National Wildlife Corridor System because it—</text>
<subparagraph id="H33FCB5C2DD3C4588A84F924EC455E199"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provides habitat connectivity and supports wildlife movement;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE0344A0DF6A74610B59B7DC3116DF30E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has the potential to benefit more than 1 species of fish and wildlife; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H6C64AE6A4D6D4BDAA76B0C5AD5707C64">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>has the potential to benefit a fish or wildlife species that is listed as a threatened species or an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1531">16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.</external-xref>); and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H1E632EE13303438EA8C33AF8FE3D5865"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the consideration of recommendations from the Coordinating Committee under section 205(c).</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H9F0F18CF0A6B4051856A31203676410C"><enum>203.</enum><header>Management of National Wildlife Corridors</header> <subsection id="H063F04C07BFC4B90AA2C04914064DD44"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretaries shall manage National Wildlife Corridors in a manner that contributes to the long-term persistence, resilience, adaptability, and movement of native species through—</text>
<paragraph id="H3ED77C68E2F34E6F848B6C2FD006ECC9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the maintenance, restoration, or improvement of habitat connectivity, including establishment of goals and monitoring plans;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE82694E979934DBAB09CAF43DA137B07"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the prohibition of human infrastructure, development, and activities that impede wildlife movement, except where required to meet the minimum requirements for the purposes of this Act;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4AA8698D6383443DA559F6CFFA6D5B91"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the implementation of strategies and activities that enhance the ability of native species to adapt to changing environmental conditions;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE769B810633249778DFE66AAA085A47B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the use of existing conservation programs managed by the Secretary concerned to contribute to the persistence, resilience, adaptability, and wildlife movement of native species; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HEC80E870E2B04E11ABE9E9BC1E6153A4"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">providing education and outreach regarding the benefits of National Wildlife Corridors and habitat connectivity.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HE94A0039AA614D4EBFD021C71138DDCB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Coordinated management</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, each of the Secretaries shall update all relevant regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, instructions, manuals, directives, notices, implementing actions, and other relevant documents and procedures to support the management and long-term conservation of National Wildlife Corridors.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H0F175788FBB74F179C86FF91D25673A9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Land use management planning</header>
<paragraph id="HB5366628A9D146989D4D1EA7478157E9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 6 months after a designation under section 201, the Secretary concerned shall, in consultation with each of the Secretaries, make such land use management plans (or revisions of existing such plans) to carry out the purposes of this Act.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6E696A072CC74697BCAA68383D076AA1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>The Secretaries shall, during each land use management plan review, amend or revise each such plan to—</text>
<subparagraph id="HA5EC6E935A1A414DB348FA10EDF66D80"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">conserve, restore, and manage National Wildlife Corridors; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H30A96622547E419B83EE7E1CF3757BE7"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">consider designating land or water as a National Wildlife Corridor under section 201(a).</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HEC1894ED1FAC4FE5B59F8813B671FDB6"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Removal</header><text>Corridors established pursuant to land use management plans may only be removed from the National Wildlife Corridor System through an amendment or revision to said plans if the corridor no longer provides effective habitat connectivity or 1 or more additional corridors have been designated that fully replace the habitat connectivity of the original corridor.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H40999896681F462AA2CCFB3FE0221621"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Preexisting designations</header> <paragraph id="HE01F9D69EC0542FC91445E7B64A28874"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Any portion of a component of the National Wildlife Corridor System that is within the national wilderness preservation system, as established by or pursuant to the Wilderness Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1131">16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.</external-xref>), shall be subject to the provisions of both the that Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1131">16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.</external-xref>) and this Act and in case of conflict between the provisions of these Acts the more restrictive provisions shall apply.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H8FD3646DACFC41BA8E2426CFB0054718"><enum>(2)</enum><header>National Park System</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any component of the National Wildlife Corridor System that is administered by the Secretary of the Interior through the National Park Service shall be a part of the National Park System, and any such component that is administered by the Secretary through the Fish and Wildlife Service shall be a part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The lands involved shall be subject to the provisions of this Act and the Acts under which the National Park System or National Wildlife Refuge System, as the case may be, is administered, and in case of conflict between the provisions of these Acts, the more restrictive provisions shall apply.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H7E6EC6E67F054AC487F849D5133DC79E"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Withdrawals</header><text>Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal lands and interests in lands within a designated National Wildlife Corridor are withdrawn from—</text>
<paragraph id="HC3F0EE6D24BF49408704DF132FB38F03"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0726EF70930244D7B1284BADC66759EE"><enum>(2)</enum><text>location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2B696CD6EEF94E1AAD8E44DC3C47934E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H7100091335F84E39B68F792A32728D5D"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Multiple jurisdictions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretaries shall carry out conservation and restoration activities in National Wildlife Corridors that are subject to the jurisdiction of more than 1 of the Secretaries in consultation with each of the Secretaries concerned.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H02557658D40B49439D84D691506E87E7"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Road mitigation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of National Wildlife Corridors that intersect, adjoin, or cross a new or existing State, Tribal, or local road or highway, the Secretaries shall consult with State, Tribal, and local transportation agencies, as appropriate, to identify and implement voluntary environmental mitigation measures—</text> <paragraph id="H0E34D0BBA2D54D23B5528036FED1C4B7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to improve public safety and reduce vehicle-caused fish and wildlife mortality while conserving or restoring habitat connectivity; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H07FC70D806B6460DADC7B7D779246C53"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to mitigate damage to wildlife movement through strategies including—</text> <subparagraph id="H6ABE73597E99461AAC341FC9359C88C1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the construction, maintenance, or replacement of native species underpasses, overpasses, culverts, fences, and other mitigation measures; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDE222C499D6F44AE9AEFAE9871537C61"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the maintenance, replacement, or removal of dams, bridges, culverts, and other hydrological obstructions.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H3FA90FE80EDC45D3B3B781246F159FF7"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, and not less frequently than every 5 years thereafter, the Coordinating Committee shall submit to Congress a report regarding the efforts of the Secretaries to carry out this Act and the effect of such efforts on the conservation and management of habitat connectivity, seasonal habitat, wildlife movement, and migration routes on Federal land and water, including the following with respect to Federal land and waters:</text>
<paragraph id="H89E19FC13C934561888AAC5C6873A7B6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A description of existing management practices relating to the purposes of this Act.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H321050D5F2874F5BAAE57D0D9539A514"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An inventory of known wildlife movement structures and fish passage projects.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF0E3B343470F4B23A3AD4A1FC55C0423"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A description of short- and long-term threats to National Wildlife Corridors or habitat connectivity.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H76372A5FAFAC448397A1944DFFE44DAE"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A description of opportunities to conserve and improve the quality and condition of habitat connectivity and wildlife movement.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H58E7356FE73C44CC93C879ADE2B44BED"><enum>(5)</enum><text>A description of opportunities to coordinate State, Tribal, and local governments and collaborative partnership efforts to carry out this Act with other landscape-scale conservation plans.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3CAAADD455A34FDDAA7BA3171D8A1320"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Strategies for climate adaptation and resilience with respect to habitat connectivity and wildlife movement.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HBBCD95F245334818A3FC97EB2E6FAE80"><enum>(7)</enum><text>A description of opportunities to expand partnerships with State, Tribal, and local governments, collaborative partnerships, and the public to carry out the purposes of this Act.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1C67DAAE796242E68AE46590B2DCFF53"><enum>(8)</enum><text>A description of current transportation programs, funding mechanisms, and other authorities that could be used to conserve and improve habitat connectivity and wildlife movement.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="H6E907F0AA3B44627B4266A9524329204"><enum>204.</enum><header>Resource sharing and coordination</header>
<subsection id="HEBF0E49964764422B5C738755EE908F6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Collaborative partnerships</header>
<paragraph id="HA9F3DE70A78F43DB93AA76F5BAC50F56"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretaries may establish collaborative partnerships with entities described in paragraph (3) that are balanced, multi-stakeholder groups that are transparent, nonexclusive, and reasonably representative of affected interests to further the purposes of this Act that—</text> <subparagraph id="HD4CAE5F1BB734A579A07E0C6C530E6F0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>establish agreement on—</text>
<clause id="H2F69F5BEA27E440892715BE0C815888A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the role of Federal, State, Tribal, and local government agencies; and</text></clause> <clause id="H8067CAB6919944DA91B8F31DC02418FF"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>how the Secretary concerned will coordinate efforts to conserve, restore, and manage habitat connectivity; and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HEEF0836A0BD24DD89899CF273D9DC6EA"><enum>(B)</enum><text>identify regional liaisons to represent the collective Federal agencies in working with State, Tribal, and local governments, collaborative partnerships, and the public to carry out such conservation, restoration, and management.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6B7B7848A657471AAD021B0DD9C7F3C9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Coordinators</header><text>The Secretaries shall each appoint a national-level coordinator to work with the regional liaisons identified under paragraph (1)(B) and monitor implementation of the efforts of collaborative partnerships.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDD61AC889DCE4925A73376E86275F619"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Entities described</header><text>The entities described in this paragraph are the following:</text> <subparagraph id="HA1AFC7E239F3450CAD84C0CD385AA69D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Voluntary private landowners.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H7307061F994A465B8B2E5EB8828C53FA"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Nonprofit organizations.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6BAF06068411453B96CDCC40CA1A6FE3"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HFD4C0656810D4FDAB480E5ADAE255A02"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Elected officials.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H60CAE33DA5554B3A826F4A9B274C91D8"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Stakeholder groups.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H238F41C55F8A47D4A8EE5441A8319760"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Resource sharing</header><text>The Secretaries shall partner with, and provide technical assistance and other resources to, State, Tribal, and local governments, collaborative partnerships, and voluntary private landowners to support the purposes of this Act.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H9F343E1D383A4D3BBF29722CC8B8E87E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text>The Secretaries shall implement this title in consultation with—</text>
<paragraph id="H51E80671DD554206946032FAF66C42AC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>other relevant Federal agencies through the Coordinating Committee;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HDF85502D2CA44E6A855EFC528860C783"><enum>(2)</enum><text>State, Tribal, and local governments, including fish and wildlife, natural resource management, and transportation agencies;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HC001621306094EC481A135C3E2533DE8"><enum>(3)</enum><text>with respect to any action that directly affects a private landowner, such private landowner;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H31ADE9E535B54E84B6CF286F1D67F1BB"><enum>(4)</enum><text>such other stakeholders as the Secretaries determine appropriate; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HCB5F4BAD72024D6EADAB286C58245444"><enum>(5)</enum><text>landscape- and seascape-scale partnerships, including—</text> <subparagraph id="HE38C067748754571893074FB0F6D2144"><enum>(A)</enum><text>National Fish Habitat Partnerships;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2524187C516744FA9CCF73894F53411F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Regional Fishery Management Councils established under section 302(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1852">16 U.S.C. 1852(a)</external-xref>);</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE681ADEF03224C6DA804ED97CD16BF7C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>relevant regional ocean partnerships;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDFF4E588EA2743B996DF1E002FEE796B"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the Climate Science Centers of the Department of the Interior; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE7942B4E0C6E47EFB432E4DB337A52C7"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Migratory Bird Joint Ventures.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="HBF60C2215D1A4E3D99E1763A303C731A"><enum>205.</enum><header>Coordinating committee</header>
<subsection id="H456EC67FFF80416F85E62A350FF1A6EE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Coordinating Committee</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretaries shall establish a coordinating committee.</text> </subsection> <subsection id="H5C4C1E76BAF846BF96F422CE224A2A39"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Membership</header><text>The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of—</text>
<paragraph id="H983E78D2AACF4B4D829AA5A671DB8509"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Secretary (or a designee);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H81A2636E8027425E86DAC95FAD4AD715"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Secretary of Transportation (or a designee);</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H00DD448A896E466F9264E7D2556ED247"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the Secretary of Agriculture (or a designee);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD595A3BC75044F5CA65CE3BA024DCF5A"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the Secretary of Commerce (or a designee);</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H61EDFB72FE6D44B9A3E9BA2AB015B06A"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the Secretary of Defense (or a designee);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H11BC9563ABC94AA1AD24D5E0118599F1"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (or a designee);</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H1ED620664C6B40D1B876FBED288EFBF9"><enum>(7)</enum><text>the Director of the National Park Service (or a designee);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0BDC54FFE1E04298A126CA5B1D3864FA"><enum>(8)</enum><text>the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (or a designee);</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H1723C6FAFB8A4D2FBD9C819F5852EEB9"><enum>(9)</enum><text>the Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (or a designee);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB6A3F69490A4476091F7D9A1B9A540E3"><enum>(10)</enum><text>2 representatives of intertribal organizations representing Indian Tribes, to be appointed by the Secretary; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0C64F0F8493D427BBF0A17EA9D31083B"><enum>(11)</enum><text>not more than 3 representatives of nongovernmental, science, or academic organizations with expertise in wildlife conservation and habitat connectivity, to be appointed by the Secretary in a manner that ensures that the membership of the Coordinating Committee is fair and balanced.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HCB71B94292A345979169E390A70A80FB"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Strategy for prioritization</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Coordinating Committee is established, the Coordinating Committee shall develop a strategy—</text>
<paragraph id="HFF264C71BAF649A695BE88F520F0E984"><enum>(1)</enum><text>for nominating national wildlife corridors for designation under section 202;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB6BE8FA7667D4C758505FDD161D0F48B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to support the fulfillment of the purposes of this Act;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HC5655DF12F344419B099701B390220C6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to ensure coordination with Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments and collaborative partnerships in conserving National Wildlife Corridors or habitat connectivity;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9CF68FDBE093407BB6C7055A13D55D47"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to provide education or outreach regarding the benefits of National Wildlife Corridors and habitat connectivity; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H012B42D387D8427BA29121AA0B431966"><enum>(5)</enum><text>such other measures as the Coordinating Committee determines necessary for implementation of this Act.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H33278ACAFCD5416997D8399319CBE648"><enum>206.</enum><header>Effect</header> <subsection id="H86D8588FB15B448E8AB989C0A943ED81"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Jurisdiction of States and Indian Tribes</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this title affects the jurisdiction of a State or an Indian Tribe with respect to fish and wildlife management, including the regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping, in a National Wildlife Corridor.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HEAACAE31360D4FFC8CC5D1F9BAC19FF3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Savings clause</header><text>Nothing in this section authorizes—</text> <paragraph id="H28B4EE9E7F9A4A8885567D23BFBF8789"><enum>(1)</enum><text>any seizure of private property through eminent domain; or</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H32C38378DE7E4BEC8D108E2162E0D300"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the imposition of any restriction on the use of private land without the consent of the landowner.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HD23DF8ED16DB40CBBA7C24D2F4194A53"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Defense waivers</header> <paragraph id="H6A77622424ED426492557B69F505E53C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Defense may waive any requirement of this title with respect to a military installation if such Secretary determines that such waiver is necessary—</text>
<subparagraph id="H804E0FDA6E224375A05EC5E2EB1E66A5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to ensure the preparedness of the Armed Forces; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6C7961B9B2A9497BB23FBE930309A532"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to support the military mission of the military installation.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H65E897C29D8D4FF9BC5CB95D39382465"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Public notice</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall publish each waiver issued under paragraph (1) unless such Secretary determines that such publication will have a negative effect on national security.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="HC21458200998488BB19E1BBF8690456D"><enum>207.</enum><header>Regulations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretaries shall issue such regulations as the Secretaries determine necessary to carry out this title.</text></section>
<enum>III</enum><header>WILDLIFE CORRIDOR GRANT PROGRAM ON NON–FEDERAL LAND AND WATER</header>
<section id="H49642C0B085D4212BFDBB5F0C084A344"><enum>301.</enum><header>Wildlife corridor grant program</header>
<subsection id="H7D07187F5FA3408DA7C26A0B41F5C38F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall establish a wildlife movement grant program to encourage wildlife movement in accordance with this subsection.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H3328131CA0E0464DAA6B5BA05CF21864"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Grants</header><text>Beginning not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, based on recommendations from the Coordinating Committee, shall make annual grants to 1 or more projects that—</text>
<paragraph id="H81EB2DECF7864A28BE640763BBE343C2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>satisfy the purposes described in section 2(b); and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H160A4D8100CE4CBAAF13FF8456888FF6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>increase habitat connectivity.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HBF59BFBF564A4296A568A906D6E57E82"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Eligible recipients</header><text>A person or entity that is eligible to receive a grant under the grant program is—</text> <paragraph id="H980BE7C560DB4F9AA89599E66726A9A7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a voluntary private landowner or group of landowners;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H69B32FD846EA459AABACAE8C34B52609"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a State fish and wildlife agency or other State agency responsible for managing natural resources and wildlife;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H105E1078788C468E84F49CDB638B1BFC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an Indian Tribe;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H66AA0FF5939C4ED1AAC2BDCD0BD6B302"><enum>(4)</enum><text>a unit of local government;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H343017B8311F46FEBC4DD41BB512CD68"><enum>(5)</enum><text>an agricultural cooperative;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H91B75538B39F412EB81DFD2F19BED192"><enum>(6)</enum><text>a water, irrigation, or rural water district or association, or other organization with water delivery authority (including acequias and land grant communities in the State of New Mexico);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H67778FB249A848698054B2E926B66C82"><enum>(7)</enum><text>an institution of higher education;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE6A99A8545124395A6DAEBE8B00E874D"><enum>(8)</enum><text>a Federal agency; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H93A67FE302EB4C99B63F8F7F20F63F42"><enum>(9)</enum><text>any group of entities described in paragraphs (1) through (8).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H1314C135C4F04B52A20727258AD61F9A"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>In administering the grant program, the Secretary shall use criteria, guidelines, contracts, reporting requirements, and evaluation metrics developed by the Coordinating Committee.</text></subsection></section> <enum>IV</enum><header>FUNDING</header> <section id="H1BF49DD6E8B74DA6B46DF6B581A241F8"><enum>401.</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header> <subsection id="HA53B95711C58455CBEC5677894E78B13"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Science and mapping of wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out title I $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H9B9E08607D6A42C7B4CAB398ADCB4F35"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Collaboration, partnership, and conservation of wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity on Federal land and water</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out title II for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter—</text> <paragraph id="H943751E61E474D3787D51A23A6242662"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to the Secretary of the Interior, $20,000,000;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H7D5C9A637A1345169C921412C725FC40"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to the Secretary of Transportation, $18,000,000;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1DA3046CC15A4A848B2823C3F8B4813E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to the Secretary of Agriculture, $10,000,000;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H786B34F20A8D424F9D2800CEC40720FF"><enum>(4)</enum><text>to the Secretary of Commerce, $9,000,000; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5B98E21B8A2B4DA59A5B3A03289EC1FE"><enum>(5)</enum><text>to the Secretary of Defense, $3,000,000.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HAD1621B0FEE14476968B6122C9F35B14"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Wildlife corridor grant program on non-Federal land and water</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out title III $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter. Each fiscal year, not less than 10 percent of the total funds shall be reserved for projects that directly conserve, restore, or enhance big game migration corridors or seasonal habitat.</text></subsection></section>