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John,

Across the nation, motor vehicles kill a million vertebrate animals every single day.[1]

That's why we're working to secure more wildlife crossings to help animals get across our roads safely, and our state group Environment Oregon just won a major victory.

On May 8, Oregon's Gov. Kotek signed a new bill into law, taking a major step towards the creation of more wildlife crossings across the state.[2]

These new crossings will reconnect fragmented habitat, restore critical migration routes, and help make Oregon's roads a bit safer for all its residents, from ursus americanus to homo sapiens.

We couldn't have won this vital victory without the help of supporters like you, John.

The new law will increase cooperation between the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department Fish and Wildlife, allowing wildlife movement and needs to better be factored into the construction and design of transportation infrastructure.[3]

This will prioritize the building of new wildlife crossing projects, overpasses and underpasses that help animals safely cross busy highways.

To be clear, this doesn't guarantee that new wildlife crossings will be built tomorrow or next week, but it's a substantial and promising step that shows that Oregon is on the right path.

To secure this victory, we've spent years organizing the public and persuading Oregon's leaders to support wildlife crossings. Our state group, Environment Oregon, has educated the public, held important conversations, lobbied elected officials and built public support in favor of wildlife crossings.

Now, 86% of Oregon residents support the construction of new wildlife crossings.[4]

Every year, large animal-vehicle collisions, on average, cost Oregonians $132 million, resulting in four deaths and more than 500 serious injuries.[5] With more than 70,000 miles of roads, and 7,000 large animal-vehicle collisions each year, more crossings would save lives and money.[6]

Across the nation, wildlife crossings have proven to be an effective means of reducing collisions and reconnecting fragmented habitat. In Oregon, existing crossings on U.S. 97 have reduced deer collisions by more than 90%.[7]

Thanks in part to our national network's campaigns, wildlife crossings are being built or have been built across the country, protecting elk in Colorado, panthers in Florida, mule deer in Montana, bobcats in Arizona and black bears in Virginia. More efforts are underway in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and other states, many being partially funded by provisions our network helped win in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

That's why Environment America and our national network will continue to support the construction of wildlife crossings across the country.

Thank you for all you do to support wildlife crossings and the countless species they help.

Oregon is just the latest victory. Together, with your support, we can continue making Oregon, and the nation, a safe place for all species, great and small.

Thank you,

Lisa Frank
Executive Director

P.S. We're making progress to help wildlife and build crossings thanks to your support. Will you donate today to keep supporting wins for wildlife across the nation?
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1. Casey Miller and Steve Blackledge, "Survey: Public opinions on wildlife crossings," Environment America, May 8, 2025.
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2. Justin Boyles, "Oregon green lights wildlife crossings bill with governor's signature," Environment Oregon, May 8, 2025.
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3.Michael Kohn, "Lawmakers pass bill that could reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions," The Bulletin, May 2, 2025.
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4. Sen. Chris Gorsek and Rep. Ken Helm, "Opinion: The high cost of doing nothing, or why Oregon must fund wildlife crossings," Portland Tribune, May 20, 2025.
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5. Sen. Chris Gorsek and Rep. Ken Helm, "Opinion: The high cost of doing nothing, or why Oregon must fund wildlife crossings," Portland Tribune, May 20, 2025.
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6. Justin Boyles, "Oregon green lights wildlife crossings bill with governor's signature," Environment Oregon, May 8, 2025.
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7. Sen. Chris Gorsek and Rep. Ken Helm, "Opinion: The high cost of doing nothing, or why Oregon must fund wildlife crossings," Portland Tribune, May 20, 2025.
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Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you.

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Environment America, Inc.
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