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April 10, 2019
National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National
new facility construction, in order to prioritize deferred
Park System, which includes 419 units valued for their
maintenance. NPS prioritizes projects based on “mission
natural, cultural, and recreational importance and covers 85
factors” and cost-benefit considerations. The account also
million acres of land (81 million federally owned acres and
covers other construction activities and planning functions.
4 million nonfederal acres). NPS typically receives funding
in annual appropriations laws for Interior, Environment,
Figure 1. NPS Appropriations Accounts
and Related Agencies. Issues for Congress include the
(percentages reflect FY2019 appropriations)
aggregate level of NPS appropriations, funding to address
the agency’s backlog of deferred maintenance, and funding
for land acquisition, among others.
FY2020 Budget Request
The Trump Administration requested $2.742 billion in
discretionary appropriations for NPS for FY2020. The
request is 15% less than the FY2019 NPS appropriation of
$3.223 billion enacted in P.L. 116-6, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, FY2019. The FY2020 request includes
reductions for all NPS accounts as compared with FY2019.
The Administration also estimates $0.733 billion in
mandatory appropriations for NPS for FY2020, a decrease
of 4% from estimated NPS mandatory funding for FY2019.
NPS’s mandatory appropriations come from entrance and

recreation fees, concessioner fees, donations, and other
Source: H.Rept. 116-9.
sources, and are used for a variety of specified purposes,
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park System.
including deferred maintenance.
NR&P = National Recreation and Preservation.
NPS’s Appropriations Accounts
Funding for the Land Acquisition and State Assistance
NPS has six discretionary appropriations accounts (Figure
(LASA) account comes from the Land and Water
1 and Table 1). The high majority of NPS discretionary
Conservation Fund (LWCF; 54 U.S.C. §§200301 et seq.),
appropriations typically have gone to the Operation of the
the primary funding source for the federal land management
National Park System (ONPS) account to support the day-
agencies to acquire lands. For more information on the
to-day activities, programs, and services of the park system.
LWCF, see CRS Report RL33531, Land and Water
These include resource stewardship, visitor services, park
Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and
protection, facility operations and maintenance, and
Issues. The account covers both NPS’s own acquisitions—
administrative costs.
typically consisting of nonfederal “inholdings” inside the
NPS’s Construction account covers rehabilitation and
boundaries of national park units—and NPS grants to states
replacement of existing facilities as well as new
for outdoor recreation needs.
construction. In recent years, the agency has planned no
Table 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations by Account ($ in millions)
FY2019 Enacted
Account
(P.L. 116-6)
FY2020 Request
% Change from FY2019
Operation of the National Park System
2,502.7
2,425.5
-3%
Construction
364.7
246.3
-33%
Land Acquisition and State Assistance
168.4
4.8a
-97%
Historic Preservation Fund
102.7
32.7
-68%
National Recreation and Preservation
64.1
32.3
-50%
Centennial Challenge
20.0
0
-100%
Total
3,222.7
2,741.7
-15%
Source: H.Rept. 116-9; NPS FY2020 budget justification. Column totals may not sum precisely due to rounding.
a. Amount reflects a request of $14.8 mil ion in new budget authority offset by a $10.0 mil ion rescission of unobligated balances.
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National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) was established by
direct the agency to use existing funding differently. For
the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C.
additional information on funding and legislation related to
§§300101 et seq.). The fund receives $150 million annually
NPS DM, see CRS Report R44924, The National Park
from offshore energy revenues, but monies are available
Service’s Maintenance Backlog: Frequently Asked
only to the extent appropriated in annual appropriations
Questions; and CRS In Focus IF10987, Legislative
laws. NPS administers the funding through its HPF account.
Proposals for a National Park Service Deferred
Funds are used to provide matching grants to state, local,
Maintenance Fund.
tribal, and private entities to conserve cultural and historical
assets and sites. Most of the appropriation goes to state and
Land Acquisition Funding
tribal historic preservation offices through formula grants,
The extent to which NPS land acquisition funding should
but Congress has also made some funding available for
be increased, decreased, or redirected continues to be a
competitive grant programs, including FY2019 grant
focus for Congress. At a broad level, some in Congress
funding for underserved communities, for preserving sites
object to further expansion of the federal estate, whereas
associated with the Civil Rights movement, for historically
others feel that more areas need federal protection. For
black colleges and universities, for historic revitalization,
NPS, some Members have suggested that agency funding to
and for the Save America’s Treasures program to preserve
acquire new lands is misplaced when maintenance needs for
nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts.
existing lands in the system are not being met. Some also
assert that recent acquisitions have lacked the national value
The National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P) account
of earlier iconic parks. Supporters of NPS land acquisition
funds NPS programs that assist state, local, tribal, and
funding have noted that the majority of funds are used to
private land managers with grants for outdoor recreation
acquire nonfederal inholdings within existing park units.
planning, natural and cultural resource preservation, and
They contend that such acquisitions help to complete
other activities. The largest single program funded through
valued parks and may facilitate maintenance efforts.
the account is for NPS assistance to national heritage areas.
Congress provided $44.4 million for NPS land acquisition
The Centennial Challenge account contains appropriations
in FY2019. For FY2020, the Trump Administration
for the National Park Centennial Challenge Fund.
requested no funding for new NPS land acquisition
Authorized by Congress in 2016 (54 U.S.C. §§103501 et
projects. The Administration stated that the proposed
seq.), the fund is a matching-grant program to spur partner
elimination of project funding would allow NPS to focus
donations for projects or programs that further the NPS
resources on protection and management of existing lands
mission and enhance the visitor experience. Deferred
and assets.
maintenance projects are prioritized. The fund also is
authorized to receive offsetting collections from the sale of
NPS Assistance to Nonfederal Sites and Programs
senior passes under the Federal Lands Recreational
Some Members, along with the Trump and Obama
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §§6801-6814).
Administrations, have questioned whether some NPS
Issues in NPS Appropriations
assistance to nonfederal sites and programs should be
reduced in order to focus funding on the agency’s “core
Deferred Maintenance
mission” of managing federal parks. Two agency accounts
NPS’s backlog of deferred maintenance (DM), estimated at
(NR&P and HPF), along with some of the LASA account,
$11.920 billion as of the end of FY2018, continues to be a
fund NPS assistance to nonfederal entities. These monies
significant issue in the appropriations process. Despite
combined represent less than 10% of the agency’s total
legislation and agency actions aimed at addressing the
funding. For FY2020, the Trump Administration proposed
backlog, it has increased over the past decade.
reductions in many nonfederal assistance programs and
elimination of some types of assistance, including NPS
NPS funding to address DM comes from discretionary
grants to national heritage areas (which are nonfederally
appropriations and from other sources. Two appropriations
managed). The Administration requested $0.4 million for
subactivities (one under Construction and the other under
heritage area administrative support, but no grant funding
ONPS) are among the primary sources of funds for NPS
for FY2020, noting that national heritage areas are not park
DM, and for FY2018 and FY2019 Congress also included a
units. The budget justification encouraged heritage area
“general program increase” in the Construction account to
managers to seek sustainable funding from local and private
address long-standing deferred maintenance and major
beneficiaries. Earlier, for FY2019, the Administration had
construction needs. For FY2019, P.L. 116-6 provided a
requested no administrative or grant funding for heritage
combined $410.1 million for these three budget items. The
areas, but Congress provided $20.3 million.
FY2020 Administration request for the two budget
For More Information
subactivities was $284.6 million, and no general increase
was requested. Portions of other NPS discretionary budget
For additional information on NPS appropriations, see CRS
activities also are used for DM. Additionally, allocations
Report R42757, National Park Service Appropriations:
from the Highway Trust Fund support NPS road repair and
Ten-Year Trends.
improvements. Other sources, such as recreation fees, also
may be used.

Congress has considered whether to increase discretionary
Laura B. Comay, Specialist in Natural Resources
funding for NPS DM, provide mandatory funding, and/or
IF11178
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National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations


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