A new video has been released from the Department of the Interior urging action on maintenance backlog. The video was premiered at a Capitol Hill event hosted by Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke and featuring Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Angus King (I-Maine), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) on July 31.
America’s public lands and waters host nearly 900 million recreation visits every year, providing significant economic benefits to communities across the country. But major problems still remain, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable stated. The combined deferred maintenance and repair backlog of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service – which amounts to $18.62 billion and includes trails, campgrounds, roads, visitor centers, bathrooms, staff housing, water systems, thousands of historic buildings and more – hampers access to, and enjoyment of America’s public lands and waters by visitors everywhere.
Public-private partnerships hold the potential to augment public financing of maintenance and repair projects. Federal land management agencies should submit request for proposals to the public to operate, maintain, improve, or fund outdoor recreation assets with insufficient funding before they’re forced to close, unless there is an imminent health or safety threat.