Bill that addresses Acadia's maintenance backlog heads to Trump's desk

Photo / Laurie Schreiber Acadia National Park has a $65 million backlog of needed repairs on infrastructure like trails, roads and bridges.

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By Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Great American Outdoors Act, a conservation bill that includes $9.5 billion over five years to help catch up on a $12 billion maintenance backlog at national parks.

Included in that sum is Acadia National Park’s backlog of needed repairs, which are estimated at $65 million.

The bill passed the House by a 310-107 bipartisan vote, and now heads to President Donald Trump's desk to be signed into law. The legislation within the bill to address the National Park System’s maintenance backlog is the Restore Our Parks Act.

The Great American Outdoors Act also includes the Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act, which would make $900 million available each year for the LWCF without being subject to federal appropriations. The fund is responsible for $18.4 billion in land acquisition and facility construction over the past five decades.

The legislation passed the U.S. Senate in June.

“Addressing long-overdue maintenance needs on infrastructure in national parks and ensuring reliable funding to help create new conservation lands and recreation open spaces will allow investments in our communities that could not come at a better time,” David MacDonald, president and CEO of Friends of Acadia, said in a statement. “The benefits to Acadia and all who enjoy it will be felt for generations.”

MacDonald said the act could boost funding available for maintenance of existing assets in parks, such as trails, roads, bridges and water systems. The act will also ensure support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has been essential to land protection efforts at Acadia and in communities throughout Maine.

The bill should also help maintain the infrastructure Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, said Andrew Bossie, executive director of Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters.

The Restore Our Parks Act was introduced in July 2018 by senators including U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

The act will establish the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating existing revenues the government collects from on and offshore energy development.