08.04.20

Hoeven: Restore Our Parks Act Supports Repair & Improvement of NPS Facilities

Senator Joins President for Signing of Great American Outdoors Act, Includes Legislation to Address NPS Deferred Maintenance

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today joined President Trump at the White House for the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act, a bill that includes the Restore Our Parks Act, legislation Hoeven cosponsored and helped introduce to address deferred maintenance needs at National Park Service (NPS) facilities.

“The Restore Our Parks Act provides critical support to our national parks and will help to ensure these facilities can continue to safely serve visitors for years to come,” said Hoeven. “That is not only important for the preservation of our history and landscapes, but it will also strengthen our parks’ contributions to local economies across the country, just as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park does in North Dakota. We welcome the signing of this new law as part of the Great American Outdoors Act and appreciate the opportunity to join the president for this occasion.”

Addressing the NPS Maintenance Backlog

Specifically, the bill passed today would create a National Park and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund using excess revenue from on and offshore energy production on federal lands. This would provide up to $1.9 billion per year for facilities and projects under the NPS, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Education.

Seventy percent of these funds would be dedicated to the NPS and would help address the agency’s maintenance backlog, including about $50 million of deferred maintenance in North Dakota, consisting mostly of road repairs. These revenues already accrue to the federal government, and accordingly, the legislation requires no new taxes and would not impact mineral and energy revenues that go to the states.

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

In addition to the Restore Our Parks Act, today’s legislation would ensure the LWCF, which supports federal and state investment in conservation of natural areas, water resources and outdoor recreation, is fully funded each year. North Dakota received $1.9 million from this program in Fiscal Year 2020. 

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