Yosemite National Park 
Sierra Sun Times file photo 

July 9, 2025 - The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) represents one of the most important, bipartisan investments in public lands in American history. Signed into law in 2020, this historic legislation established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (Legacy Restoration Fund) to tackle decades of deferred maintenance and modernize beloved parks’ facilities nationwide.

In just a few short years, the Legacy Restoration Fund has invested more than $5 billion into our national parks - revitalizing historic properties, upgrading vital infrastructure, restoring roads and trails, and more. The result? More than $8 billion added to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), 72,000 jobs in communities from coast to coast, and $5 billion flowing back into the American labor market.

The Legacy Restoration Fund demonstrates a major commitment to national parks and public lands as a legacy we must protect and pass on to the next generation. Its benefits are felt every time someone hikes a trail, visits a ranger station, or marvels at the beauty of a well-preserved piece of American history.

Continuing a Legacy of Success

The Legacy Restoration Fund is set to expire this year on September 30, 2025, so legislation is needed to continue the work already underway in parks nationwide.  Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the Senate, the America the Beautiful Act, would reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund for eight years through 2033 and increase funding from $1.9 billion to $2 billion per year.

Without reauthorization, national parks risk losing this crucial stream of funding – one that has done far more than fix deteriorating infrastructure. The Legacy Restoration Fund has helped breathe new life into parks and public lands, restore aging infrastructure, stimulate a virtuous cycle of economic growth in surrounding communities, and enhance the experience for millions of visitors. Reauthorization means building a stronger, more resilient future for the places that protect America’s natural and cultural heritage: our national parks.  

A Legacy for the Next 250 Years

The Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund is working — and with renewed commitment, they can do even more. The National Park Foundation is helping lead the charge to champion the Legacy Restoration Fund’s reauthorization, working closely with congressional leaders, partners and stakeholders to increase education, awareness, and support for the bill.

As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund will be a landmark investment in the future of our national parks. Together, we can ensure our magnificent public landscapes and historic treasures leave a strong legacy of American pride and prosperity for current and future generations — for another 250 years and beyond. 
Source: National Park Foundation