Why It Matters

The national park maintenance backlog for the National Park Service (NPS) reached $24.237 billion for fiscal 2025, the largest deferred-maintenance total among the four major federal land management agencies, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report. ​

NPS's deferred maintenance estimate grew 114% in nominal dollars from fiscal year 2016 to FY2025, but how much of that increase reflects changes in estimation methods or data completeness, rather than other factors, remains unclear.

The Department of the Interior's Office of Inspector General found NPS's underlying data "inaccurate and unreliable," and the Government Accountability Office said limited reporting on estimate changes "compromised the availability of information Congress may need." Those findings put data credibility at the center of any congressional debate over reauthorizing the fund that has been the primary dedicated source of repair dollars.

The Big Picture

NPS's fiscal 2025 backlog is more than twice the Forest Service's, more than three times the Bureau of Land Management's, and nearly seven times the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's. Paved roads and buildings together account for $13.431 billion, roughly 55% of the total. California's $4.296 billion share is the largest of the 20 states and territories listed, more than twice Washington, D.C.'s $2.054 billion.

The single largest year-over-year jump came between fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, when the estimated backlog rose roughly $8.8 billion, or 60% in nominal dollars. The Department of the Interior's Office of Inspector General attributed about $3.7 billion of that increase to NPS's addition of a new 35% markup on non-transportation assets. CRS notes that what portion of the overall decade-long change reflects methodology "remains unclear."

The Great American Outdoors Act, enacted in 2020 as Public Law 116-152, created the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), which provided $1.9 billion annually for fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2025, with 70% directed to NPS. Annual discretionary appropriations for maintenance declined after the LRF became available, and Congress did not provide funding for line-item construction projects in fiscal 2026, except one designated project.

In the 119th Congress, S. 1547, the America the Beautiful Act, sponsored by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), would reauthorize LRF deposits for fiscal 2027 through fiscal 2031, and it was reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. A companion measure, H.R. 9250, sponsored by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), would make the same reauthorization, was ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources, and remains in committee.

The Bottom Line

The Legacy Restoration Fund received $1.9 billion annually for fiscal 2021 through 2025, and two 119th Congress bills, H.R. 9250 and S. 1547, would reauthorize deposits for fiscal 2027 through 2031, with S. 1547 listed in "Floor Consideration" status.

Congress is debating whether to reauthorize Legacy Restoration Fund deposits, whether annual appropriations for NPS deferred maintenance are sufficient, and how to improve the accuracy of the agency's data.

If neither chamber acts, the dedicated mandatory funding stream for NPS deferred maintenance will remain expired into fiscal 2027.

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