Dennis Buchner
Why should you care?
There is a $20 billion backlog of maintenance projects across our public lands. When annual maintenance needs go unaddressed, long-term problems arise, seriously hampering the public’s access to outdoor recreation. Closed trails, out-of-service restrooms, campgrounds in poor conditions, and impassable roads are only a few of the barriers that hikers face.
Public Lands Maintenance Backlog
When annual maintenance needs go unaddressed, long-term problems arise, seriously hampering the public’s access to outdoor recreation. In turn, local economies that rely on trail recreation suffer. As of 2018, 193,138 miles of trails on federal lands have an estimated $886 million maintenance backlog.
Hiking Impact
Legislation before Congress including the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), and the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act (H.R. 1225) would begin to address the maintenance backlog at National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and BLM sites.
The Great American Outdoors Act would provide $9.5 billion over five years from energy development revenues on federal land and water to address the most pressing deferred maintenance infrastructure needs including trails, visitor centers, roads, and other critical infrastructure for hiker access.
Maintenance Backlog
- $20 billion backlog across all public lands.
- $800 million est. trail maintenance backlog
- Legislation addresses top maintenance needs at National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and BLM sites.
- Restores trails, campgrounds, road, visitor centers, and other infrastructure
