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Committee hears testimony to expand Oregon wildlife-crossing program to reduce vehicle collisions
Summary
A public hearing on House Bill 2978 focused on expanding the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) wildlife-vehicle collision program, creating an advisory group, and changing reporting requirements; advocates and agency staff said crossings reduce collisions, but funding is limited.
Co-Chairs Helm and Owens opened a public hearing on House Bill 2978, which would modify ODOT’s Wildlife Vehicle Collision Reduction Program, ask ODOT and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to establish an advisory group for the program, and change ODOT reporting requirements.
Why it matters: Proponents told the committee that wildlife crossings — including overpasses, underpasses and associated fencing — are proven to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect fragmented habitat. Witnesses said collisions present public-safety risks, impose direct costs on motorists and the state, and limit wildlife population resilience and genetic diversity.
Bernadette Graham Hudson, Wildlife Division Administrator at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the committee that “roads and traffic can create barriers to movement and…
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