SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2016’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Establishment of National Wildlife Corridors System. 
Sec. 4. Administrative designation of National Wildlife Corridors. 
Sec. 5. Protection and management. 
Sec. 6. Conservation support. 
Sec. 7. National native species habitats and corridors database. 
Sec. 8. Wildlife Corridors Stewardship and Protection Fund. 
Sec. 9. Protection of Indian tribes. 
Sec. 10. Definitions. 
Sec. 11. Relationship to other conservation laws. 
Sec. 12. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) America’s native fish, wildlife, and plant 
species are part of our rich natural heritage and an 
important legacy to pass on to future generations. 
(2) Populations of many native fish, wildlife, 
and plant species in the United States are declining. 
Scientists estimate that one in five animal and plant 
species in the United States is at risk of extinction 
and many species are declining in numbers. 
(3) One of the greatest threats to the survival 
and diversity of many native fish, wildlife, and plant 
species in the United States is the loss, degradation, 
fragmentation, and obstructions of their natural 
habitats. 
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(4) The conservation of landscape corridors and 
hydrologic connectivity, where native fish, wildlife, 
and plant species and ecological processes can tran-
sition from one habitat to another, is critical to con-
serving native biodiversity and ensuring resiliency 
against impacts from a range of stressors. 
(5) Climate change is a significant threat to na-
tive fish, wildlife, and plants. Conserving, restoring, 
and establishing new ecological connections to facili-
tate the shift of species into more suitable habitat is 
a key climate change adaptation strategy. 
(6) Protecting landscape corridors and hydro-
logic connectivity is a broadly accepted strategy to 
conserving native fish, wildlife, and plant species and 
ensuring ecosystem resilience, and it is typically one 
of the first steps in restoration and recovery plan-
ning. For example, States have recognized the im-
portance of connectivity in the Western Governors’ 
Association policy resolution, ‘‘Protecting Wildlife 
Migration Corridors and Crucial Wildlife Habitat in 
the West’’, and the Conference of New England 
Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers’ resolu-
tion recognizing the importance of ecological 
connectivity for the adaptability and resilience of 
their region’s ecosystems, biodiversity, and human 
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communities in the face of climate change. The 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Strategic 
Plan for Responding to Accelerating Climate Change 
also acknowledges that ‘‘processes such as polli-
nation, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, natural dis-
turbance cycles, predator-prey relations, and others 
must be part of the natural landscapes we seek to 
maintain or restore. These processes are likely to 
function more optimally in landscapes composed of 
large habitat blocks connected by well-placed cor-
ridors.’’. The Department of the Interior’s Public 
Land Policy for Implementing Mitigation at the 
Landscape-Scale includes ‘‘protecting and restoring 
core, unfragmented habitat areas, and the key link-
ages among them.’’. Federal and State policies con-
tinue to be developed to address the importance of 
conserving fish, wildlife, and plant corridors and eco-
logical connectivity. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE COR-
RIDORS SYSTEM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a Na-
tional Wildlife Corridors System to provide for the con-
servation and restoration of habitats that support a diver-
sity of ecologically associated native fish, wildlife, and 
plant species in the United States, including species pro-
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tected under Federal law, that have experienced or may 
in the future experience habitat loss, degradation, frag-
mentation, or obstructions of connectivity. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the System is— 
(1) to provide long-term habitat connectivity for 
native fish, wildlife, and plant species for migration, 
dispersal, adaptation to climate and other environ-
mental change, and genetic exchange; 
(2) to restore ecological processes that have 
been disrupted by habitat loss, degradation, frag-
mentation, or obstructions; and 
(3) to facilitate coordinated landscape- and 
seascape-scale connectivity planning and manage-
ment across jurisdictions. 
(c) COMPONENTS.—The System shall consist of Na-
tional Wildlife Corridors that are designated as part of 
the System by statute, rulemaking, or Federal manage-
ment plan issuance, revision, or amendment. 
(d) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall issue a strategy for the 
effective development of the National Wildlife Cor-
ridors System that will ensure achievement of the 
purpose of the System, including consideration of 
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connectivity needs with respect to non-Federal lands 
and waters, achievement of effective coordination re-
garding Corridors spanning multiple jurisdictions, 
and an approximate development timeline. The scope 
of Corridors to be designated may vary according to 
the habitat needs of individual or ecologically associ-
ated native fish, wildlife, and plant species. 
(2) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The 
Secretary shall develop the strategy— 
(A) in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the 
Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of 
Transportation; and 
(B) in coordination with States, tribes, and 
existing landscape- and seascape-scale partner-
ships, including the National Fish Habitat 
Partnership, National Ocean Policy regional 
planning bodies, Climate Science Centers of the 
Department of the Interior, and the Landscape 
Conservation Cooperative Network. 
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL 
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) RULEMAKING
REQUIREMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, 
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the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Inte-
rior, and the Secretary of Transportation shall each 
within two years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, through a rulemaking, create a process for 
designating lands and waters under their respective 
administration and control as National Wildlife Cor-
ridors in accordance with their land, water, and re-
source management planning authorities. 
(2) RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—The Secretary 
of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Sec-
retary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and 
the Secretary of Transportation may each issue such 
regulations as he or she considers appropriate to 
carry out this Act. 
(3) FEDERAL
LAND
AND
WATER
MANAGE-
MENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary 
of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall consider designation of National 
Wildlife Corridors in processes for issuance, revision, 
or amendment of a management plan or plans for 
lands and waters under their respective administra-
tion and control. 
(b) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—Designation of 
land or water as a Corridor under this section— 
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(1) shall be based on the best available science; 
(2) may consider information contained in gov-
ernmental or nongovernmental assessments, plans, 
monitoring reports, studies, and other sources of rel-
evant information, such as ecoregional assessments, 
nongovernmental 
reports, 
public 
transportation 
plans, State wildlife data and action plans, tradi-
tional ecological knowledge, and relevant agency re-
ports; 
(3) shall be based on historic, current, or likely 
future use of the areas by one or more native fish, 
wildlife, and plant species continuously, annually, or 
periodically; 
(4) shall support the connectivity, persistence, 
resilience, and adaptability of native fish, wildlife, 
and plant species by providing for— 
(A) dispersal and genetic exchange between 
populations; 
(B) range shifting, range expansion, or 
range restoration, such as in response to cli-
mate change; 
(C) seasonal movement or migration; or 
(D) succession, movement, or recoloniza-
tion following— 
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(i) a disturbance, such as fire, flood, 
drought, or infestation; or 
(ii) population decline due to disease 
or previous extirpation; and 
(5) shall be informed by the National Native 
Species Habitats and Corridors Geographic Informa-
tion System Database established under this Act. 
(c) DESIGNATION OF LAND OR WATER REQUIRING 
RESTORATION OR CONSOLIDATION OF HABITAT.—Land 
or water designated as a Corridor may consist of— 
(1) land or water that requires restoration, in-
cluding— 
(A) land or water that is degraded; and 
(B) land or water from which a species is 
currently absent, but may be colonized or re-
colonized by the species or to which the species 
may be reintroduced or restored; and 
(2) fragmented land or water that consists of 
only a portion of the habitat required for a native 
fish, wildlife, and plant species to maintain itself. 
(d) PETITION FOR DESIGNATION.—The process es-
tablished under subsection (a) shall include procedures 
under which— 
(1) any person may submit to the appropriate 
Secretary a petition, along with information sup-
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porting such petition, to designate an area under 
their jurisdiction as a National Wildlife Corridor; 
and 
(2) such Secretary shall consider and respond 
to each such petition pursuant to a petition response 
process developed, through rulemaking, by the Sec-
retary. 
(e) DESIGNATION ON MILITARY LANDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any designation of a Cor-
ridor on a military installation— 
(A) must be consistent with the use of 
military installations and State-owned National 
Guard installations to ensure the preparedness 
of the Armed Forces; and 
(B) must not result in a net loss in the ca-
pability of installation lands to support the mili-
tary mission of the installation. 
(2) SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF DESIGNA-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense may suspend or 
terminate any designation of a Corridor on a mili-
tary installation if the Secretary considers such sus-
pension or termination necessary for military pur-
poses, after publication of— 
(A) public notice of such suspension or ter-
mination; and 
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(B) any steps taken by the department to 
ensure similar ecological connectivity elsewhere 
on the military installation. 
(3) MILITARY
INSTALLATION
DEFINED.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘‘military installation’’ has 
the meaning that term has under section 100(1) of 
the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670(1)). 
(f) COORDINATION AND COOPERATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—To the maximum extent 
practicable and consistent with applicable law, each 
Secretary shall coordinate designation of National 
Wildlife Corridors with other relevant Federal de-
partments and agencies, affected States, including 
State fish and wildlife agencies and other State 
agencies responsible for managing natural resources, 
tribes, local governments, private landowners, and 
nongovernmental organizations engaged in conserva-
tion of native fish, wildlife, and plant species. 
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF SUPPORTING NON-FED-
ERAL LAND AND WATER.—In conjunction with proc-
esses to designate National Wildlife Corridors, each 
Secretary may identify, in consultation with affected 
States, tribes, local governments, private landowners 
and nongovernmental organizations engaged in con-
servation of native fish, wildlife, and plant species, 
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non-Federal lands and waters that support the pur-
poses of designated National Wildlife Corridors by 
maintaining habitat connectivity across jurisdictional 
boundaries or providing other essential functions for 
wildlife and its habitat. 
SEC. 5. PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, the 
Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Transpor-
tation, as applicable, shall, consistent with other applicable 
land and water management requirements, manage each 
National Wildlife Corridor under such Secretary’s admin-
istrative jurisdiction in a manner that contributes to the 
long-term connectivity, persistence, resilience, and adapt-
ability of native fish, wildlife, and plant species, such as 
by— 
(1) preventing habitat loss, degradation, frag-
mentation, and obstructions within such Corridor; 
(2) implementing strategies and activities that 
enhance the ability of native fish, wildlife, and plant 
species to respond to climate change and other envi-
ronmental factors; 
(3) maintaining or restoring the integrity and 
functionality of the Corridor and associated habitat; 
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