National Park Service Legacy Act of 2017

Background:
Founded in 1916 by Woodrow Wilson, today the National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for managing more
than 84 million acres comprised of over 400 significant cultural, historic, and natural areas across all fifty states,
the District of Columbia, and four territories. The Park Service is also responsible for maintaining 10,000 miles
of roads and 18,000 miles of trails in the United States with 75,000 total assets, 41,000 of which have deferred
repairs.

However, despite being responsible for maintaining and protecting such a large inventory of assets, Congress
has not provided adequate funding for the Park Service, resulting in a maintenance backlog of nearly $12
billion. Between FY06 and FY15, discretionary appropriations for deferred maintenance have decreased by 43
percent after adjusting for inflation. Annual Congressional appropriations to address deferred maintenance
projects have averaged $521 million, or just 4 percent of the Park Services backlog. Investing in critical repairs
for the Park Service will create jobs and help NPS fulfill its mission to protect the nations conservation and
historical properties.

Proposal:
The National Park Service Legacy Act will aim to reduce the most critical projects of the nearly $12 billion
maintenance backlog at the Park Service by establishing a dedicated backlog fund. This National Park Service
Legacy Restoration Fundwill be housed at the Department of Treasury and will receive funding from
mineral royalties not otherwise dedicated to other purposes. At the beginning of each fiscal year the following
amounts will be allocated to the Legacy Restoration Fund:

$50 million for each of fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020;
$150 million for each of fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023;
$250 million for each of fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026; and
$500 million for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2047.

Funding Allocation
The funds outlined above will be used to address high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the Park Service,
as determined by the Director of the National Park Service. Eighty percent of funds will be allocated for the
repair and rehabilitation of non-transportation key assets, including historic structures, visitor facilities, water
utility systems, disability access, health and safety, and recreation. Twenty percent of funds will be allocated to
roads, bridges, and other transportation-related projects. Amounts from the Fund will not be used for land
acquisition or to supplant discretionary funding made available for recurring facility operations and
maintenance needs of the Park Service.

The National Park Service Legacy Act will also require the Park Service to submit a prioritized list of deferred
maintenance projects to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees as part of its annual budget
submission. After review and approval, the Appropriations Committee will decide to provide for the allocation
of amounts derived from the Fund.

Public Donations:
To encourage public-private partnerships that will reduce the overall deferred maintenance costs to the Park
Service, this bill allows the Secretary of the Interior and Director of the Park Service to accept donations that
are less than $2 million, with at least a 33 percent non-Federal cost-share component; or equal to or more than
$2 million, with at least a 25-percent non-Federal cost-share component.