Bipartisan bill would funnel royalties to $12B backlog
A bipartisan, bicameral coalition of lawmakers yesterday unveiled legislation that would use oil and gas royalties to reduce the National Park Service's $12 billion backlog of deferred maintenance projects.
The "National Park Service Legacy Act" will be introduced in the upper chamber by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and in the House by Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.). The initial co-sponsors of the bill are Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Reps. Will Hurd (R-Texas), Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii) and Dave Reichert (R-Wash.).
The legislation also has the support of the National Parks Conservation Association, a parks advocacy group, and the Restore America's Parks project of the Pew Charitable Trusts.
"More than 100 years after the founding of the National Park Service, our park system remains in a critical state of disrepair," Warner said in a press release. "Our bipartisan legislation provides this needed investment by helping ensure that these historically diverse assets are preserved for future generations to enjoy."
Specifically, the legislation would direct $50 million paid to the Treasury by oil and gas companies that drill on public lands or the outer continental shelf toward the NPS backlog for the next three fiscal years.
The amount directed to the agency for overdue repairs to park bridges, visitor centers and water systems would increase in steps of $100 million in 2021 and again in 2024. Then between 2027 and 2047, NPS would receive $500 million per year from Treasury's royalties pot.
None of that money could be spent on land acquisition or be used to offset other NPS appropriations, the bill says. The bill also requires lawmakers to vet the Park Service's deferred maintenance priorities and gives the NPS director and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke greater latitude to accept donations.
Zinke has made chipping away at the backlog one of his top priorities
By: Corbin Hiar
Source: E&E Daily