Bipartisan, bicameral legislation led by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and a group of Republican congressional members to address an estimated $11.6 billion in maintenance backlog costs at America’s national parks has earned support from several more organizations vested in the outdoors.
Pew Charitable Trusts, the Outdoor Industry Association, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, the Corps Network, and Vista Outdoor Inc. each made statements supporting the National Park Restoration Act, Sen. Capito and her colleagues announced on April 3.
“Introduction of another park maintenance bill shows Congress is listening to the thousands of voices calling on them to #FixOurParks,” said the Pew Charitable Trusts, referring to the U.S. Senate bill, S. 2509, and the identical bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 5210, which were both introduced on March 7.
If enacted, the bill would establish the National Park Restoration Fund to pay for the high-priority, high-cost deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure needs that currently exist at U.S. National Parks, including for buildings, trails, campgrounds and water systems, according to a summary provided by Sen. Capito’s staff. Among other provisions, the fund would receive 50 percent of revenues generated by energy production on federal lands that aren’t already allocated for other purposes, according to the summary, to help pay for the maintenance costs.
“As we know, and the support for bills like National Park Restoration Act shows, the health and vitality of America’s public lands system is a bipartisan issue that unites us,” said the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), the national trade association for outdoor industry suppliers, manufacturers and retailers, which collectively employ more than 7.6 million Americans.
“We look forward to progress on the issue and appreciate the Senate and House Bill Sponsors’ attention to this critical infrastructure issue that supports the growing $887 billion outdoor recreation economy,” OIA said.
Vista Outdoor Inc., a Farmington, Utah-based designer, manufacturer, and marketer of shooting sports and outdoor sports products, noted in the joint statement that U.S. National Parks are the backbone of the nation’s recreation system. “These treasures,” however, haven’t received the care and attention they deserve, the publicly traded company said. “This bipartisan legislation to address the multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog is the type of action and leadership needed for the parks to thrive for the next 100 years and beyond,” said Vista Outdoor.
The Corps Network, formerly known as the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, provides leadership and support to over 130 local chapters and enables more than 24,000 Corpsmembers, ages 16-25, to strengthen communities, improve the environment and serve via advocacy, access to funding opportunities and expert guidance. In applauding the National Park Restoration Act, the group welcomed the legislation as part of the ongoing dialogue toward creating new solutions to address the backlog issue.
“Americans expect and deserve their public lands to be in a good condition when they visit, and we look forward to working with the sponsors, and other supporters of our parks and public lands, in moving forward a widely supported solution to this problem,” the Corps Network said.
Likewise, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, a coalition of America’s leading outdoor recreation trade associations working to promote policy and legislative reforms that grow the outdoor recreation economy, said that roads, buildings, trails, campgrounds and water systems have suffered under the accumulated problem of deferred maintenance, jeopardizing visitor safety, as well as enjoyment of the nation’s parks. With a maintenance backlog now nearly four times greater than annual appropriations for the U.S. National Park Service, the group told the lawmakers, “the national parks cannot return to sound condition without efforts like you are proposing.”
Joining Sen. Capito in introducing S. 2509 were U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Steve Daines (R-MT). U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) was lead sponsor of the bill, while Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) were among the original cosponsors. S. 2509 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
U.S. Reps. Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) introduced H.R. 5210, which on March 7 was referred to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee. The panel’s Subcommittee on Federal Lands held hearings on March 20 to consider H.R. 5210.
During a press conference last month, Sen. Capito and several colleagues joined U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who helped the lawmakers draft their proposal, in announcing S. 2509. She bemoaned her home state of West Virginia’s $52 million in maintenance backlogs and said at the time that funding under S. 2509 would help preserve the culture and history of parks like Harpers Ferry, while also ensuring that “West Virginians and visitors from across the country can enjoy them for generations to come.”