Introduced Bill Would Extend Maintenance And Repair Funding For National Parks

Two U.S. Representatives have introduced the Great American Outdoors Act 250, which would provide $6.6 billion over five years to address repairs and maintenance in national parks across the country. The bill, introduced on June 10, was originally established as the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund in the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act.

"The Great American Outdoors Act 250 will make historic investments in and modernize our national parks, public lands, and Bureau of Indian Education facilities, revitalize the economies of rural gateway communities that depend on public lands tourism, and create new recreation opportunities for American families to enjoy," said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.

This fund has supported more than 600 high-priority repair projects, generated more than $8 billion for local economies and supported more than 72,000 jobs nationwide, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

“Tackling our national parks’ maintenance backlog has never been more urgent. As visitation continues to surge, so do repair needs,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, president and CEO for NPCA. “Trails, bridges, roads, campgrounds, visitor centers and the systems that keep parks running have long been falling into disrepair. With the nation’s 250th anniversary just weeks away, we must renew our commitment to preserving these places in perpetuity.”

With money from the fund, the Park Service has restored walkways at the Statue of Liberty, replaced a failing water system in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and upgraded campgrounds in Yosemite and Rocky Mountain National Parks, among countless other projects. This bill will ensure substantial federal funding can continue to address the Park System’s deferred maintenance backlog that has reached more than $23 billion.

The bill also codifies and expands recent changes to the Park Service’s non-resident fee policy, which was put in place in January and charges a $100 nonresident fee for each non-U.S. resident aged 16 and over.

Specifically, the legislation also:

• Targets high-priority deferred maintenance projects within each federal land management agency and the BIE. 
• Restores campgrounds, trails, boat ramps, hunting and fishing sites and other recreational infrastructure to unleash new outdoor recreation opportunities for sportsmen and women and improve visitor experiences.
• Supports 72,500 jobs across the country and $26.4 billion in revenue for rural gateway communities neighboring our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and public lands.
• Promotes transparency and accountability by streamlining contracting and procurement, expediting project reviews and requiring regular reporting.
• Does not allow for new federal land acquisition.
• Creates new, sustainable funding sources through foreign visitor fees and incentivizing private donations.

"As the nation turns 250, we have a chance to renew a promise behind what's been called America's best idea: that our greatest landscapes belong to every one of us," said House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman, D-Calif. "The Great American Outdoors Act 250 builds on a promise we made together, on a bipartisan basis, to keep our parks open and well cared for."