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Special License Plates Could Fund Conservation Efforts

Sample of Wildlife Conservation Plate via Muley Fantatic Foundation
Muley Fanatic Foundation
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Muley Fanatic Foundation

A state legislator wants to help prevent vehicle collisions with wildlife with the help of new wildlife conservation license plates. Representative Stan Blake of Sweetwater County is sponsoring a bill where individuals could purchase the $100 plates to generate new revenue for conservation efforts along big game migration corridors.

Last year, there were over 3,000 collisions with wildlife on Wyoming roadways, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Joshua Coursey, a founder of the Muley Fanatic Foundation, a wildlife advocacy group, said the revenue from these plates could reduce those collisions by funding new infrastructure.  

"Those would include signage, wildlife corridors, as well as wildlife crossings and game fences,” Coursey said.

But Coursey said the bill is about more than fundraising, it’s about spreading the word.

"This will open that door for not only an effort that can be done in the short term,” Coursey said, "but start the conversation for a long-term solution as well.”

He admits that the funds may not be enough to fully fund new infrastructure, but it’s a leverage tool for other fundraising. The bill targets big game including elk, pronghorn, mule deer, and bighorn sheep. The bill is expected to be discussed in the upcoming legislative session.

Before Wyoming, Cooper McKim has reported for NPR stations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. He's reported breaking news segments and features for several national NPR news programs. Cooper is the host of the limited podcast series Carbon Valley. Cooper studied Environmental Policy and Music. He's an avid jazz piano player, backpacker, and podcast listener.
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