The National Park system, including our own Joshua Tree National Park, currently faces a major backlog in maintenance work at an estimated $12 billion. But, bills in both the House and Senate are waiting a floor vote, and if passed, it could mean more local jobs on the horizon. Reporter Heather Clisby has the details…
A study commissioned by Pew Charitable Trusts concluded that our National Parks face a maintenance backlog of nearly $12 billion. Ohio Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced a bill called Restore Our Parks that aims to direct up to $6.5 billion dollars of revenue from oil and gas royalties to address crumbling roads, decaying buildings and outdated infrastructure.
In a rare bipartisan victory, the House Natural Resources Committee voted to advance the landmark bill in September. Project Director Marcia Argust, for Restore America’s Parks Campaign at The Pew Charitable Trusts weighed in.
“A Pew-commissioned analysis found that if the maintenance backlog facing the National Park Service was fully addressed, over 110,000 jobs could be created or supported nationwide, including more than 16,000 jobs in California alone.”
Argust says the bill has passed committees in both the U.S. House and Senate but needs a floor vote in each house, ideally before the end of the year.
BILLS TO ADDRESS NATIONAL PARK MAINTENANCE BACKLOG WAITING FLOOR VOTE
