Legislation that passed the House of Representatives on Thursday would provide funding for bridge repairs in the National Park System/NPS file
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a transportation bill that includes nearly $2 billion for work on roads, bridges, and transportation systems in the National Park System.
The Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation In America Act would authorize federal highway, transit, and rail programs that would help reduce air pollution. The measure also supports strengthening the country's transportation infrastructure, including in the national parks, to be more resilient to climate change.
"This bill outlines significant investments in our nation’s water infrastructure and invests in common-sense solutions that would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, protecting motorists and ensuring long-term health of national park wildlife," the National Parks Conservation Association said in a release after Thursday's vote.
The National Park System is second only to the Department of Defense in the amount of federal infrastructure it manages, including 10,000 miles of publicly accessible roads and 1,440 bridges. Unfortunately, nearly 40 percent of park roads are in poor condition and in need of repair, all while many parks are also experiencing record visitation, the NPCA release said.
The package also includes significant investments in critical water infrastructure. Like the nation's roads, the nation’s water infrastructure systems have fallen into significant disrepair, failing to protect public health and aquatic park ecosystems, said NPCA.
The legislation, if enacted, would invest more than $50 billion over five years for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, in addition to over $100 billion over 10 years for drinking water infrastructure, prioritizing climate resilient infrastructure solutions and yielding cleaner, safe water for parks and gateway communities.
“As record-setting numbers of visitors explore our national parks this summer, they will unfortunately have to navigate crumbling roadways and bridges on their way to experiencing towering redwoods and spectacular waterfalls. Today’s House vote brings us one step closer to providing urgently needed funding for our national parks as many sites across the country prepare for an influx of visitors, while also trying to keep roadways, bridges and transit systems accessible and operational in the face of a changing climate," said Emily Douce, NPCA's director of operations and park funding.
"Our parks need our support if they are to continue meeting this increased demand and provide inspirational visitor experiences now, and for years to come."
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership was pleased to see the bill include a $100-million-per-year grant program to help states construct more wildlife-friendly road crossing structures, including over- and underpasses, that benefit migrating big game and many other species. An amendment was also successfully passed to establish a new grant program to fund and support culvert restoration projects, which will help restore essential anadromous fish passages across the nation.
“It’s the right time to invest in America’s transportation infrastructure and jobs, and it’s highly appropriate that we look out for fish and wildlife habitat as we make largescale improvements,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “This may be our best chance to knit together fragmented migration corridors and fish habitat, especially now that we know more about the way animals use seasonal habitats and exactly how development affects their movement patterns. The science and technology have advanced, but we can’t create solutions without the dedicated funding provided in this bill, which would create the first national wildlife crossings initiative of its kind and help prioritize culvert restoration across the country.”
At Defenders of Wildlife, Curt Chaffin, senior government relations representative, called the measure "truly a win for both people and wildlife. Habitat destruction is one of the main drivers of the biodiversity crisis. Investments that address habitat connectivity and protect wildlife and the places they call home are an essential part of the solution. These wildlife infrastructure provisions will protect biodiversity, increase public safety and create local jobs.”
Key park transportation provisions included in the INVEST in America Act:
- Guarantees an increase in annual funding to the Park Service – an additional $580 million over the span of the five-year bill – through the Federal Lands Transportation Program, which provides funds to improve roads, bridges, transit and other transportation infrastructure in parks.
- Dedicates $200 million a year for federal land management agencies to address large repair projects, such as reconstruction of the Grand Loop Road in Yellowstone National Park and repair of the Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park.
- Increases the Federal Lands Access Program by $350 million over five years, which provides funding to states and other local entities to provide access for park visitors to national parks and other federal lands.
- Provides significant investments to reduce carbon pollution and advance mitigation and resiliency measures in parks to combat the changing climate.
- Establishes a $400 million wildlife crossing grant program to support efforts by federal agencies, tribes and states to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, protect motorists and improve habitat connectivity.
- Funds updated research into the causes and consequences of wildlife-vehicle collisions including expanded studies and reports to Congress.
Key water infrastructure provisions included in the INVEST in America Act:
- Reauthorizes the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, quadrupling current funding levels to $8 billion annually, which would begin to address aging and failing wastewater and stormwater infrastructure nationwide that contributes to poor water quality threatening water resources in downstream national parks.
- Increases funding for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse grant program, investing $2 billion over five years to reduce pollution threatening park waters at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, St. Croix National Scenic River and other parks around the country.
- Boosts State Management Assistance grants, providing $2.5 billion over five years to support state agencies in their implementation of Clean Water Act protections essential to public health, recreation and the protection of park water resources.
- Invests more than $100 billion in drinking water infrastructure over 10 years, helping to ensure our park communities have access to clean, safe and affordable drinking water.
The Senate surface transportation bill includes the culvert provisions but only $350 million over five years for wildlife crossings. It also includes a climate resilience program that is not in the House bill. The two versions will need to be reconciled before the president can sign off and advance the much-needed conservation provisions mentioned above.
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