With the Legacy Restoration Fund set to expire at the end of September, lawmakers and National Park staff gathered in Grand Teton National Park earlier this month for a congressional field hearing: “The Great American Outdoors Act: Modernizing and Maintaining National Parks..”

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Passed by Congress in 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) has dedicated billions in funding for the maintenance backlog on public lands through the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and provided permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The bill was a huge victory for trails, parks, and public lands, and its passage was the culmination of years of work from the outdoor recreation community, the conservation community, and hundreds of other partners.

During the hearing, park staff and other agency partners discussed the ongoing need for funding the maintenance backlog at parks and public lands, especially with congressional appropriations waning.

In the last five years, the Legacy Restoration Fund has restored recreation assets at parks and public lands that are important to the outdoor community, such as trails, campsites, restrooms, ranger stations, roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure that supports visitor experiences. A story map created by Outdoor Alliance shows a number of highlighted projects across the U.S.

During the hearing, Chip Jenkins, Superintendent of Grand Teton National Park expressed that funds from the Great American Outdoors Act have been critical for allowing the park to address long-overdue repairs. However, he stressed that current infrastructure is not always adequate for current visitation, let alone for increasing visitation. “Our infrastructure is suffering from over 75 years of wear and tear, and is not meeting our visitors’ needs. The park welcomes close to 4 million visitors annually, and we’re on track to have our second busiest year on record. We need to make sure the toilets flush in addition to the rehab of cabins, restaurants, marina, and campgrounds at Colter Bay.”

Despite considerable progress, federal land managers still face a $41 billion backlog with funding set to expire at the end of the month. Inadequate appropriations from Congress, coupled with a lack of staff and resources have resulted in thousands of projects being delayed.Outdoor Alliance submitted testimony to the hearing, which you can read here or by clicking on the letter at left.

With visitation to public lands and waters steadily increasing, it’s time for Congress to renew funding to support infrastructure repairs and improvements. Current economic and participation show ongoing rapid growth in outdoor recreation. Funding to repair, restore, and protect recreation infrastructure across our public lands is critical for managing increasing participation. Providing additional funding for deferred maintenance projects can help to re-open many areas to the public, which could be beneficial in addressing overuse and capacity issues.

Recently, Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Steve Daines (R-MT), along with Senators Warner (D-VA) and Cramer (R-ND) introduced bipartisan legislation that would extend deferred maintenance funding for parks and public lands. The America the Beautiful Act would reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) through 2033, with an increase of funding. Here is the current breakdown of the maintenance backlog across land management agencies:

National Park Service: $23.26 billion
U.S. Forest Service: $8.695 billion
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: $2.65 billion
Bureau of Land Management: $5.72 billion
Bureau of Indian Education: $804.5 million

“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 of Policy & 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.”

The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) was one of the most significant wins for public lands in the last few years, and Outdoor Alliance is continuing to work with Congress and the administration to ensure the fund will be renewed. Use the form below to ask your lawmakers to support extending the Legacy Restoration Fund. As someone who cares about public lands and outdoor recreation, your voice makes a difference. Let Congress know that investing in parks, trails, and public access is a priority for you and your community.

Legacy Restoration Fund Expires at the End of September, with Maintenance Backlog Growing