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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2022)
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon CROSSINGS: Priority list of wildlife crossings across Oregon released Continued from page 1 <While the reality of human development, habitat loss, and poaching negatively impacts deer populations, Oregonians can have a proven and measurable impact in reducing wildlife- vehicle collisions by install- ing wildlife safe passage crossings on our highways.= Between a five-year span through 2017 and 2021, the Oregon Department of Transportation recorded 30,951 wildlife-vehicle col- lisions, resulting in dam- age, injury, and fatalities to motorists and significantly impacting the state9s iconic wildlife, such as mule deer, elk, and pronghorn. In 2021, the average cost of a vehicle collision with a mule deer 4 the most common collision type 4 was $9,086 and col- lisions with elk cost $24,006, totaling $56.9 million in 2020 alone. This includes vehicle damage, medical expenses, and lost hunting value. Between 2015 and 2020, Deschutes County averaged 533.83 wildlife crashes per year. Most of those involve deer. More cars on the high- ways obviously increases the odds of collisions that don9t end well for deer. Late last year, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) told The Nugget that mule deer popu- lations across the Deschutes National Forest as a whole have declined 56 percent from 2004 to 2021. In the Metolius Basin, the surveyed population of 3,359 mule deer is 46 percent short of the objective of 6,200; in the Upper Deschutes range, the population of 800 is 60 percent below the desired threshold of 2,000. The report, which can be viewed at https:// oregonhunters.org/wp- content/uploads/2022/02/ OAT-Wildlife-Crossings- Prioritization_FINAL_02- 01-2022.pdf calls for a full planning process to deter- mine project design 4 including an underpass, over- pass, or other measures along Highway 20 near ODFW- designated Metolius Deer Winter range. Project plan- ning is estimated at $66,330, with design, feasibility, and construction currently not estimated. The project would be expected to include fenc- ing, a crossing structure, deer guards, and would require potential easements. About a dozen wildlife- vehicle hotspots across the state have been identified for wildlife crossing projects. In addition to Highway 20 in the Sisters area, the report calls out Highway 20 near Juntura; I-5 between Ashland and the Oregon-California border; on I-84 near Meacham; and sev- eral places on Highway 97 in Central Oregon. Funding needs are estimated to be between $22 million and $36 million to address these known hotspots. The Wildlife Crossings Investment Act was intro- duced by Rep. Ken Helm (D-34, Washington County) and has 33 sponsors so far. The bill would invest at least $7 million in targeted proj- ects that will reduce wildlife- vehicle collisions to make roads safer for people and wildlife. These dollars can also be used for federal grant match requirements, allow- ing Oregon taxpayers9 dollars to be leveraged for a greater return on this initial invest- ment. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 provides $350 million over five years in the form of competitive grants to states, Tribes, and municipalities to create wildlife crossing solu- tions, and the monies from HB 4130-01 could be har- nessed in this way. To date, Oregon has only five wildlife crossings, con- siderably fewer than other western states 4Colorado has 69, Utah and California both enjoy 50, and Nevada has 23 for large mammals alone. Yet, a recent State Farm insurance analysis found that Oregon has the highest likelihood of wildlife crashes among West Coast states. <The OAT (Oregon Action Team) priority list is a well- thought-out and analyzed list providing a great look at the on-the-ground opportunities to improve wildlife move- ment that HB 4130-01 could help bring to fruition to put Oregon on a path toward leadership in wildlife cross- ing infrastructure,= said Zach Schwartz, Oregon program manager for the Wildlands Network. The Lava Butte underpass near Bend reduced wildlife- vehicle collisions by more than 85 percent, and Utah saw a 98.5 percent reduction in deer mortalities when it built two animal underpasses on a stretch of highway that blocked traditional migratory routes. Because so many Oregonians are impacted by wildlife-vehicle collisions, there is broad bipartisan sup- port for wildlife crossings from voters across Oregon. A 2020 poll commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts and conducted by the firm GBAO found that 86 per- cent of Oregonians favor constructing more wildlife crossings on roads and high- ways and 75 percent of vot- ers from across the political and geographic spectrum support increased funding to build more wildlife crossings on roads and highways. 19 The Nugget Newspaper Crossword By Jacqueline E. Mathews, Tribune News Service — Last Week’s Puzzle Solved — This Week’s Crossword Sponsors CCB#220624 D ESIGNERS & B UILDERS of D ISTINCTION Residential Remodels New Construction Water & Fire Damage Repairs Commercial Tenant Improvements Handyman Services www.laredoconstruction.com • 541-549-1575 ENJOY A WARM, FARM-FRESH BREAKFAST AT THE BARN! BREAKFAST SANDO TH/FR 8-11 AM BEANS & GREENS RICOTTA TOAST • OATMEAL SA/SU 8 AM-NOON 171 E. MAIN AVE. HOUSE-BAKED BREADS WWW.THEBARNINSISTERS.COM PASTRIES AND COFFEE Greg Wieland L.Ac. Practicing since 1989 352 E. Hood Ave., Ste. 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