North Carolina just voted to protect animals in the Great Smokies with historic investment in wildlife crossings

North Carolina's General Assembly appropriated $10.2 million for wildlife crossings and mitigation strategies, establishing a permanent funding source that will funnel the amount every two years. The state joins Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon in allocating dedicated state resources; wildlife crossings reduce accidents by up to 90% and address the 62,000+ wildlife-vehicle collisions reported in NC between 2021-2023.

Implementation and enforcement of projects remain separate steps from budget allocation.