This week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee considered a bill that would address the $12 billion backlog in park maintenance. The proposal, backed by Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), would create a trust fund using revenue from energy production on federal land.
Money from the trust fund would be directed towards the newly created National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund. The fund could tap up to $1.3 billion per year for park restoration and maintenance projects. This would create a consistent source of funding for National Park maintenance that is not subjected to the political turmoil of the annual federal budgeting process.