Lawmakers from both parties have put forward legislation to help restore America’s national parks. In 2016, Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed the National Park Service Centennial Act, which provided a mechanism to generate up to $50 million annually to address deferred maintenance at park sites. Congress is now considering other measures to partially fund an $11.6 billion repair backlog:

Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act

The Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), would direct dedicated annual federal funding to address deferred maintenance for the National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The act (H.R. 6510) brings together the best provisions of the previously introduced National Park Service Legacy Act and National Park Restoration Act. The House Natural Resources Committee approved the bill by a voice vote Sept. 13.   

The Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act would:

• Establish a federal fund in the U.S. Treasury—the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund—to address the maintenance backlog at national parks, other public lands agencies, and the BIE.
• Direct revenue from onshore, offshore, and renewable energy operations that are not already allocated by law to other programs, up to $1.3 billion per year for five years, into the fund.  Revenue would break down as follows:

• 80 percent for the national parks maintenance backlog.
• 10 percent for the Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge maintenance backlog.
• 5 percent for the Bureau of Land Management’s public access and recreation maintenance backlog.
• 5 percent for the Bureau of Indian Education’s school construction and maintenance backlog.
• Allow the treasury secretary to invest the funds in a public debt security. Income from the investment would be returned to the fund.

• Allow monies to remain in the fund until they have been spent.
• Prohibit allocated funds from being used for land acquisition, employee bonuses, or to replace discretionary funding for facility operations and maintenance needs.
• Encourage public-private donations to deferred maintenance projects.

Restore Our Parks Act

Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Angus King (I-ME) introduced legislation in June that would address the multibillion-dollar maintenance backlog of the NPS. The Restore Our Parks Act (S. 3172) brings together the best components of the previously introduced National Park Service Legacy Act and National Park Restoration Act. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the measure Oct. 2.

The Restore Our Parks Act would:

• Establish a federal National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund that would finance priority deferred maintenance projects. Allocations would be capped at $1.3 billion a year for five years.
• Direct into the fund half of federal onshore, offshore, and renewable energy revenue that is not already allocated by law to other programs.
• Set aside 65 percent of the fund revenue for repairing non-transportation resources (historic structures, visitor facilities, trails, water utility systems, and assets that improve access; health and safety; and recreation). The remainder would be used to restore transportation-related assets (roads, bridges, and tunnels).
• Prohibit allocated funds from being used to acquire land or to replace discretionary funding for NPS facility operations and maintenance needs.
• Allow the treasury secretary to invest the funds in a public debt security. Income from the investment would be returned to the fund.
• Allow monies to remain in the fund until they are spent.
• Encourage public-private donations to deferred maintenance projects. 

The National Park Restoration Act

In March 2018, Reps. Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR), and Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Angus King (I-ME), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the National Park Restoration Act (H.R. 5210 and S. 2509, respectively). The measure would establish a fund in the U.S. Treasury to direct federal funds to national park maintenance needs each year. 

Similar to the National Park Service Legacy Act of 2017 and the Land and National Park Deferred Maintenance Act, the fund would be primarily financed from onshore and offshore revenues not already obligated for other purposes under law. The Restoration Act also would be financed by renewable revenues (such as solar, hydro, and wind energy). Specifically, 50 percent of onshore, offshore, and renewable revenues above a projected baseline would go into the fund each year, over a 10-year period.

As written, the funding mechanism may result in inconsistent revenue generation from year to year and it needs to be improved.

Bill status

The Senate bill was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Its House companion bill was referred to the House Natural Resources Committee.

National Park Service Legacy Act

In spring 2017, Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and Representatives Will Hurd (R-TX), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), and Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) introduced the National Park Service Legacy Act (S. 751 and H.R. 2584, respectively), bipartisan legislation to help restore our deteriorating park infrastructure.

The Legacy Act would establish a federal fund to provide dedicated annual resources to restore national park infrastructure. By providing consistent, reliable funding to address overdue maintenance, the measure would help protect our natural and historic treasures and ensure that local communities continue to benefit from park visitor spending.

The bill would:

• Establish a federal National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to draw down the national park maintenance backlog.  
• Be financed using revenue from oil, gas, coal, and other mineral operations that is not already allocated to other programs.
• Ramp up over time to address high-priority deferred maintenance needs:   
• $50 million a year in fiscal years 2018-20.
• $150 million a year in fiscal 2021-23.
• $250 million a year in fiscal 2024-26.
• $500 million a year in fiscal 2027-47.

The legislation would stipulate that:

• 80 percent of the fund would be used to repair and rehabilitate National Park Service (NPS) sites, including historic structures, visitor facilities, trails, water utility systems, and assets that affect disability access, health and safety, and recreation.
• 20 percent of it would be used to restore transportation-related infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and tunnels.  
• Funds could not be used for land acquisition or to replace discretionary funding for NPS facility operations and maintenance needs.
• Congressional authority would be protected by requiring that proposed maintenance projects be reviewed by appropriate committees.
• The fund would promote public-private collaboration by prioritizing projects supported by private donations.

Bill status

The Senate bill was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Its House companion bill was referred to the House Natural Resources and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.

Land and National Park Deferred Maintenance Act

Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) introduced the Land and National Park Deferred Maintenance (LAND) Act in June. The bill addresses the chronic underfunding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and deferred maintenance by providing dedicated annual money for conservation and repair needs on lands under the jurisdiction of the Interior and Agriculture departments’ four land management agencies. The funds would come from onshore and offshore mineral revenue that is not already dedicated to existing programs. Established in 1964, the LWCF finances federal and state land acquisitions to preserve public lands and natural resources.  

The LAND Act would:

• Establish the National Park Service and Related Agencies Maintenance and Revitalization Conservation Fund, to be administered by the Treasury Department.
• Make available $450 million a year from 2018-24, which would support critical infrastructure and visitor services:

• Reauthorize the LWCF through 2024 and provide:
• $180 million for federal LWCF.
• $220 million for financial assistance to states for the Forest Legacy Program, the American Battlefield Program, and cooperative endangered species grants.

• $25 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• $25 million for the Bureau of Land Management.
• $375 million the National Park Service.
• $25 million for the U.S. Forest Service.

Bill status

The legislation was referred to the House Natural Resources, Budget, and Agriculture committees.

The Energy and Natural Resources Act

In June 2017, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Energy and Natural Resources Act. Part of this bipartisan legislation would help address the $11.6 billion maintenance backlog at national park sites. 

The bill would:

• Establish a National Park Service Critical Maintenance and Revitalization Conservation Fund to be used for high-priority infrastructure repairs and services for visitors.
• Authorize $150 million a year from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas revenue to be directed to the fund.

The measure would also permanently reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. 

Bill status

It was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Adopted legislation

National Park Service Centennial Act

President Barack Obama signed the National Park Service Centennial Act into law Dec. 16, 2016.

The measure:

• Established the Centennial Challenge Fund, which matches private donations with public dollars on a one-to-one basis for projects identified by the secretary of the interior. Deferred maintenance projects are prioritized.
• Created a National Park Foundation Endowment from gifts, bequests, and a portion of the funds generated by raising the price of the senior lifetime pass.

Raised the senior pass fee to generate about $25 million for the Centennial Challenge Fund and about $10 million for the endowment annually. A public-private match provision could generate another $25 million for the fund each year.