America the Beautiful Act Would Reauthorize Nearly $2 billion for National Parks and Public Lands

Defenders of Wildlife supports passage of the America the Beautiful Act, sponsored by Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR). If signed into law, the bill will reauthorize $1.9 billion in funding for the National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund from 2027 until 2031. Originally established in 2020, the fund invests in deferred maintenance projects across our National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, Forest Service lands, Bureau of Indian Education schools and Bureau of Land Management lands.  

The deferred maintenance projects include those that improve habitat for imperiled species and a variety of beneficial conservation work on public lands. If made law, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be allocated $95 million, 5% of the $1.9 billion total. In addition, 70% of the funds go to the NPS, 15% to the Forest Service, 5% to BLM with the remaining 5% going toward the Bureau of Indian Education.  

“While the final bill is not perfect, Defenders of Wildlife is pleased to see this bipartisan solution come together to prioritize conservation and reauthorize these vitally needed resources for our public lands,” said Chris Westfall, senior government relations legislative counsel at Defenders of Wildlife. “From the White River Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas, to Yosemite National Park in California, projects funded by the Legacy Restoration fund are pivotal to habitat for imperiled species, protecting our wild and scenic rivers and restoring trails to maximize public access. We all benefit from this work though restored wildlife habitat and healthier ecosystems.”

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