Bill > AB902

This bill requires local agencies to incorporate wildlife passage features into transportation infrastructure projects in specific connectivity areas to help protect and preserve wildlife movement. The bill applies to new highway or lane construction projects in areas identified by the Department of Fish and Wildlife as having high terrestrial connectivity (ranks 3-5), where the project could significantly disrupt wildlife movement, and where the project initiation begins on or after January 1, 2028. The legislation recognizes that transportation infrastructure can harm wildlife by fragmenting habitats, disrupting migration patterns, and limiting access to essential resources, especially in the context of climate change. Local agencies will be required to design and implement wildlife passage features that help animals move safely across roads, and they may use compensatory mitigation credits to satisfy these requirements if approved by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bill explicitly excludes projects on the state highway system where Caltrans is the lead agency, as well as minor projects like road repairs, reconstructions, or bicycle lane additions. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill imposes state-mandated costs, local agencies will be reimbursed according to existing governmental procedures.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Government Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB902