National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 287 | Great American Outdoors Act Reauthorization

By Jess Repanshek - August 11th, 2024

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been four years since Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act and President Trump signed it into law. Under that legislation, the National Park Service has been receiving $1.3 billion a year to pay for tackling the National Park System’s maintenance backlog.

When the Great American Outdoors Act was passed, it was given a five-year life. That means it will have to be reauthorized next year to keep the program going. It’s had wide-ranging impacts, paying for things like roadwork on the Blue Ridge Parkway, new bridges at Yellowstone National Park, improved campgrounds in the park system, and new interpretation.

But will the GAOA get renewed, and what’s the process to get there? To examine the benefits of the legislation, and talk about the steps being taken to reauthorize the legislation, we’re joined today by Eric Stiles, president and CEO of Friends of Acadia, Kristen Brengel, the senior vice president for government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, and Phil Francis, chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.

0:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
0:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
1:10 Blue Mist - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenandoah
1:33 Smokies Life
1:56 Friends of Acadia
2:24 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
2:46 NPT Promo
3:27 Episode 287 - Great American Outdoors Act Reauthorization
50:36 Black Woods - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
51:00 Episode Closing
51:23 Orange Tree Productions
51:56 Splitbeard Productions
52:07 National Parks Traveler footer

Acadia National Park

National Parks Traveler Podcast

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