Legacy Restoration Fund Extension Introduced in the Senate

Image: Gabe Tiller, Mount Hood National Forest

Today, Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the Legacy Restoration Fund—an essential program that has helped address the growing maintenance backlog on America’s public lands. First established through the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, the Fund has been instrumental in restoring trails, roads, and visitor infrastructure across thousands of recreation sites.

In 2020, President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law, dedicating billions in funding for the maintenance backlog on public lands through the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). Since its passage, the Legacy Restoration Fund has invested up to $1.9 billion annually in repairing roads, trails, water systems, and visitor infrastructure on public lands. But the need far outpaces funding: the Department of the Interior estimates a $41 billion maintenance backlog across federal land management agencies. While the Fund has enabled major progress, only a small percentage of needed projects have been completed—leaving much of the work unfinished.

Over the last fifteen years, outdoor recreation visits have steadily increased on America’s public lands. Over the same time period, real funding has decreased at land management agencies, leading to a long list of overdue repairs and renovations that agencies haven’t been able to complete due to chronic underfunding. This includes large-scale infrastructure projects like road repairs, deteriorating facilities, outdated water systems, as well as numerous trails damaged by erosion and lack of maintenance, all of which affect visitor safety.

Projects funded through the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) have made a noticeable difference for public land users. In Washington, Denny Creek Trailhead received funds to expand parking access. In Montana’s Flathead National Forest, popular rental cabins were restored. And in Nevada, Red Rock Canyon saw repairs to trails and bathroom facilities. These kinds of investments improve safety, access, and overall visitor experience.

Despite considerable progress over the past few years, federal land management agencies are still facing a significant number of deferred maintenance projects. Inadequate appropriations from Congress, coupled with a lack of staff and resources, has resulted in thousands of important projects being delayed. The table below (source: DOI) shows the budget estimate of each project, and the current status they’re currently in.

Source: Department of the Interior (DOI)

Renewing the Legacy Restoration Fund is about more than fixing broken infrastructure—it’s about keeping our parks and public lands safe, accessible, and sustainable for future generations. As more people turn to the outdoors for connection, adventure, and wellbeing, Congress must continue investing in the places they love.

“The National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund that Congress passed as part of the Great American Outdoors Act has helped to restore, maintain, and improve parks and public lands that are valued by millions of Americans across the country,” said Louis Geltman, Vice President for Policy and Government Relations at Outdoor Alliance. “Outdoor Alliance and the human-powered outdoor recreation community are grateful for the work of Senators Daines and King to renew the Legacy Restoration Fund, which expires this year. With outdoor recreation growing in popularity, extending this critical funding for park and public land maintenance is needed to provide a high quality visitor experience and protect our country’s incredible natural resources.”

If you’ve ever hiked, biked, skied, or camped on public lands, now is the time to speak up. Tell your lawmakers in the form below that you support renewing the Legacy Restoration Fund and investing in the future of outdoor recreation.