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NDOT seeks to leverage $5 million state appropriation to secure federal wildlife crossing grants
Summary
NDOT told legislators a $5 million state appropriation (AB112) has been used to pursue federal grants for wildlife crossings; the department and conservation groups say the state match can unlock larger federal funding but grant obligations remain under review.
The Nevada Department of Transportation told a joint legislative subcommittee that AB112’s one‑time $5 million appropriation for wildlife crossings is intended mainly to leverage larger federal grants to build crossings and fencing that reduce wildlife‑vehicle collisions.
Director Tracy Larkin told legislators the AB112 appropriation is intended to be used as match for federal awards. NDOT said it has pursued federal grant opportunities and that, since 2010, the department has invested more than $43 million in projects to reduce wildlife‑vehicle collisions through overpasses, underpasses, culvert expansions and fencing.
NDOT wildlife program staff described the benefits of crossings for human safety and wildlife connectivity. Nova Simpson, who identified herself as the department’s wildlife crossings program manager, told the committee that a recent Coyote Springs project for desert tortoise would include culvert modifications and fencing and that all‑in construction for a set of modifications and fencing is on the order of roughly $20 million. She said the department had agreed to provide a $1 million state match and had been working with local stakeholders and private partners.
Conservation groups in public comment backed continuation of the account. Andrea Corral of Pew Charitable Trusts highlighted a previously secured federal award that NDOT used the account to match; Russell Coleman of Nevada Wildlife Federation cited long‑term declines in mule deer and other species and supported the crossings account as a way to attract federal funding.
Why it matters: NDOT said the state appropriation is often necessary as local match to win federal competitive grants. Officials noted that a single overpass plus associated fencing and design can cost tens of millions and that across the state a long list of potential crossing hotspots would require substantial funding — potentially hundreds of millions — to address comprehensively.
Key details: NDOT said AB112 provided a one‑time $5,000,000 general fund appropriation for wildlife crossing projects. The department reported receiving a USDOT grant (amount described in committee testimony) for projects along U.S. 93 that would not have been possible without matching state funds. Simpson said NDOT received requests for roughly 90 corridor segments from local agencies and that a single overpass with fencing could cost in the $15–20 million range, so even a handful of projects quickly add up.
Next steps: NDOT said it will continue to pursue federal opportunities and to use the AB112 account for grant match, research, preliminary engineering and grant application support as needed while the federal grant environment remains uncertain. The department said it is preparing a prioritization for two candidate projects per NDOT district to move toward grant readiness.
Ending: Conservation and transportation officials told lawmakers that wildlife crossings reduce crashes and preserve genetic connectivity for wildlife; NDOT said the state account improves the agency’s ability to win federal funds but cautioned that final federal obligations and timelines are not yet guaranteed.
