National Parks Funding Backlog Gets Attention in U.S. House
By Jenn Stanley – Commonwealth News Service
BOSTON – The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, meeting Wednesday, is expected to discuss funding to fix the national parks.
The bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act would establish the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund, and start to reduce the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog.
In Massachusetts, about $244 million is needed to restore aging park roads, buildings, utility systems and other facilities.
Some projects have already been delayed for years due to budget constraints, and Phil Francis, chair of The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, says just about every park site is in need of this funding.
“Many parks – whether it’s in Jackson Hole or the Grand Teton, or Yellowstone, or up in Massachusetts and many of our historic sites – wherever the parks are, they’re in need of additional funds for deferred maintenance,” he states.
Even so, folks are already streaming into national parks and historic sites for the summer. Last year, more than 9.5 million people visited the park sites in Massachusetts, bringing an estimated $832 million into the local economy.
Francis says tourist revenue is only a small part of the parks’ value. Experts now say that two hours in nature leads to improvements in overall health and well-being.
Francis adds the parks’ historic value is significant, particularly in Massachusetts. The Boston National Historical Park and Lowell National Historical Park are just two of many sites that represent crucial moments in U..S history.
“The national parks contain the history and they tell the story of America,” Francis points out. “And one of the important things the national parks are now doing is, they’re telling the complete story of America – not only the good things, but also the bad things.”
Most Americans also want the parks properly funded. Late last year, a poll by The Pew Charitable Trusts showed more than 75% of Americans favor allocating funding to fix the national parks.
The Trump administration also has expressed support for the Restore Our Parks Act.
Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.