America’s National Parks Can’t Afford to Wait Any Longer

America’s National Parks Can’t Afford to Wait Any Longer

By John “Chip” Akridge, III, Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors
November 30, 2019

Recently, despite the entrenched enmity between Republicans and Democrats, both chambers of Congress managed to move forward legislation that would help fix America’s national parks. The Restore Our Parks bills would help pare down the estimated $11.9 billion National Park System deferred maintenance backlog brought on by the wear and tear of hundreds of millions of visitors annually, coupled with aging facilities and inconsistent congressional funding. The problem is not unique to any one of the more than 419 national park sites across the country: From the Statue of Liberty to the Grand Canyon and beyond, maintenance projects are woefully behind schedule.

Americans have a long history of loving – and supporting -- their national parks and open spaces. But today, America needs to be reminded that it takes care and attention—and ongoing investments—to preserve these places for our use and enjoyment.

The National Park Service—the agency that manages our National Park System—continues to maintain these special places in perpetuity. But their job has gotten harder over time. In the 1950s, the development of the U.S. Interstate Highway System brought unprecedented numbers of visitors; but antiquated facilities and aging roads could not keep pace with the crowds. Things got so bad that NPS Director Conrad Wirth stated in a presentation to President Eisenhower that our national parks were being “loved to death.”

In 1956, the Republican president and Democratic-led Congress joined forces, funding a ten-year plan to develop and repair visitor and educational centers, roads, trails, and other amenities to accommodate the crowds in time for the NPS fiftieth anniversary in 1966.

A half century later, national parks again are showing their age. One need look no further than our nation’s capital to witness the problem. In the heart of Washington, D.C. lies the National Mall, which symbolizes many things to the millions of visitors, from every state and territory of the country and around the world, who come annually. It has been called “America’s Front Yard” and many come to learn history, honor veterans, reflect on our democracy, demonstrate, or just to exercise. It is where Americans have gathered to protest wars, press for peace and millions have gathered for their own vision of what our Constitution calls a more perfect union.

The National Mall has a deferred maintenance price tag of more than a half-billion dollars. The Trust for the National Mall knows the list all too well, including rehabilitating monuments, memorials, historic buildings, beloved cherry trees, visitor and bathroom facilities, and the crumbling 80-year old seawalls along the Potomac River and Tidal Basin. While individual and corporate philanthropy has helped, we can’t privately fundraise our way out of this crisis. Congress must invest in the long-term maintenance of our front yard.

The Trust for the National Mall urges congressional leadership to advance the bipartisan, bilateral Restore our Parks legislation. Three-quarters of House members and nearly one-half of the Senate support this effort to direct $6.5 billion in dedicated funds over five years to priority repairs. The legislation would be financed by unobligated mineral revenues from energy development—including renewable energies—on federal lands and waters. There are no budgetary gimmicks here and budget games shouldn’t be used to hold up this legislation. In this divisive age of political struggle between left and right it’s hard to find an issue that is as widely supported by both Republicans and Democrats. After all, you don’t have to be from the left or the right to be awed by Lincoln’s solemn gaze, the towering majesty of the Washington Monument or the sublime power of the Vietnam Memorial. Passage of the Restore our Parks legislation will ensure that the National Park System has adequate resources to address critical repairs that have been put off for decades.

Lawmakers can make a difference in America’s Front Yard and at sites in the backyard of millions of Americans that depend on tourist dollars to help support their economies. This is an investment in the ideal of America, and even if partisan politics may sometimes prevent us from living that reality every day, we should still aspire to it in the symbols of our democracy.

Let’s have our leaders bring to a vote something we can all agree on -- and let’s get to work fixing our parks. It’s time for leadership to act. America, and its national parks, can’t afford to wait any longer.