Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026

Sponsor: Donald S. Beyer (Democratic-VA)April 22, 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Creates national system to protect wildlife movement and offers grants for local conservation efforts.

This bill would set up a National Wildlife Corridor System on federal lands and waters to help animals move freely and adapt to changes. It also offers grants to private landowners and local groups for similar efforts on non-federal lands. This means a new, coordinated federal plan to protect animal habitats and migration routes.

What Would Change

Right now, there isn't a single, coordinated federal plan to protect areas where wildlife can move freely, and funding for such efforts is not specifically authorized at a national level. This bill would create a National Wildlife Corridor System on federal lands and waters, establish a mapping program, and offer about $75 million annually in grants for projects on non-federal lands to improve habitat connections, starting in fiscal year 2026.

Key Provisions

Creates a National Wildlife Corridor System on federal lands and waters to help animals move freely.
Offers grants to private landowners, states, and tribes for projects that improve wildlife movement on non-federal lands.
Sets aside about $140 million each year to pay for mapping, federal corridor management, and the grant program.
Requires federal agencies to map important wildlife corridors and conduct research on how climate change affects them.
Prohibits new human construction or activities that block wildlife movement within designated federal corridors, with some exceptions.
Lets state, tribal, and local governments, and other groups, suggest federal lands and waters to become National Wildlife Corridors.

View on Congress.gov

HR 8438 · 119th Congress · April 22, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 4/10

Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity