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Updated June 12, 2019
National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National
Administration’s request, as well as increases or level
Park System, which includes 419 units valued for their
funding for all but one account (Construction) compared to
natural, cultural, and recreational importance and covers 85
FY2019 enacted appropriations in P.L. 116-6 (Table 1).
million acres (81 million acres of federal land and 4 million
nonfederal). NPS, which is part of the Department of the
NPS’s Appropriations Accounts
Interior, typically receives funding in annual appropriations
NPS has six discretionary appropriations accounts (Figure
laws for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
1). The high majority of NPS discretionary appropriations
Issues for Congress include the aggregate level of NPS
have typically gone to the Operation of the National Park
appropriations, funding to address NPS’s backlog of
System (ONPS) account to support the day-to-day
deferred maintenance, and funding for land acquisition,
activities, programs, and services of the park system. These
among others.
include resource stewardship, visitor services, park
FY2020 Appropriations
protection, facility operations and maintenance, and
administrative costs.
The Trump Administration requested $2.742 billion in
FY2020 discretionary appropriations for NPS. The request
Figure 1. NPS Appropriations Accounts
was 15% less than the FY2019 NPS appropriation of
(Percentages Reflect FY2019 Regular Appropriations)
$3.223 billion enacted in P.L. 116-6, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, FY2019. (For FY2019, P.L. 116-20
also provided $0.128 billion in supplemental funding for
NPS to address hurricane damage.) The FY2020 request
included reductions for all NPS accounts as compared with
FY2019. The Administration also estimated $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 sources and are used for a variety of specified
purposes, including deferred maintenance.
On June 3, 2019, the House Committee on Appropriations
reported H.R. 3052 (H.Rept. 116-100), which would
Source: H.Rept. 116-9. Figure does not reflect FY2019 supplemental
provide $3.362 billion for NPS for FY2020. The amount is
appropriations in P.L. 116-20.
23% higher than the Administration’s request and 4%
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park System.
higher than the FY2019 regular appropriation. The House
NR&P = National Recreation and Preservation.
bill includes increases for all NPS accounts compared to the
Table 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations by Account ($ in millions)
FY2019
Request
House Comm.-
H.R. 3052
Enacted
% Change from
FY2020
FY2019
Reported H.R.
% Change from
Account
(P.L. 116-6)a
Request
3052
FY2019
Operation of the National Park System
2,502.7
2,425.5
-3%
2,647.0
+6%
Construction
364.7
246.3
-33%
319.7
-12%
Land Acquisition and State Assistance
168.4
4.8
-97%
208.4
+24%
Historic Preservation Fund
102.7
32.7
-68%
121.7
+19%
National Recreation and Preservation
64.1
32.3
-50%
73.5
+15%
Centennial Challenge
20.0
0
-100%
20.0
—
LWCF Rescissionb
—
—
—
-28.1
—
Total
3,222.7
2,741.7
-15%
3,362.1
+4%
Source: H.Rept. 116-9; NPS FY2020 budget justification; H.Rept. 116-100. Column totals may not sum precisely due to rounding.
a. Table does not reflect FY2019 supplemental appropriations of $128.0 mil ion in P.L. 116-20 (provided as emergency spending outside of
discretionary spending limits).
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National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
b. The amount reflects a rescission of Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) contract authority.
NPS’s Construction account covers rehabilitation and
P.L. 116-6. According to NPS, these three sources provided
replacement of existing facilities as well as new
a combined $395.3 million for FY2019. For FY2020, H.R.
construction. In recent years, the agency has planned no
3052 would provide $363.3 million for the two budget
new facility construction in order to prioritize deferred
subactivities with no general program increase. Portions of
maintenance. NPS prioritizes projects based on “mission
other NPS discretionary budget activities are also used for
factors” and cost-benefit considerations. The account also
DM. Additionally, allocations from the Highway Trust
covers other construction activities and planning functions.
Fund support NPS road repair and improvements. Other
sources, such as recreation fees, may also be used.
Funding for the Land Acquisition and State Assistance
(LASA) account comes from the Land and Water
Congress has considered whether to increase discretionary
Conservation Fund (LWCF; 54 U.S.C. §§200301 et seq.),
funding for NPS DM, provide mandatory funding, and/or
the primary funding source for the federal land management
direct the agency to use existing funding differently. For
agencies to acquire lands. For more information on the
additional information, see CRS Report R44924, The
LWCF, see CRS Report RL33531, Land and Water
National Park Service’s Maintenance Backlog: Frequently
Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and
Asked Questions; and CRS In Focus IF10987, Legislative
Issues. The account covers both NPS’s own acquisitions—
typically consisting of nonfederal “
Proposals for a National Park Service Deferred
inholdings” inside the
Maintenance Fund.
boundaries of national park units—and NPS grants to states
for outdoor recreation needs.
Land Acquisition Funding
The extent to which NPS land acquisition funding should
NPS administers historic preservation programs through its
be increased, decreased, or redirected continues to be a
Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) account. Under the
focus for Congress. At a broad level, some in Congress
National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. §§300101 et
object to further expansion of the federal estate, whereas
seq.), the fund receives $150 million annually from offshore
others feel that more areas need federal protection. For
energy revenues, but monies are available only as provided
NPS, some Members have suggested that agency funding to
in appropriations acts. Most of the funding goes to state and
acquire new lands is misplaced when maintenance needs for
tribal historic preservation offices as formula grants to
existing lands in the system are not being met. Some also
preserve cultural and historical assets and sites. Congress
assert that recent acquisitions have lacked the national value
has also made some funding available for nationally
of earlier iconic parks. Supporters of NPS land acquisition
competitive grant programs.
funding have noted that the majority of funds are used to
The National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P) account
acquire nonfederal inholdings within existing park units.
funds NPS programs that assist state, local, tribal, and
They contend that such acquisitions help to complete
private land managers with grants for outdoor recreation
valued parks and may facilitate maintenance efforts.
planning, natural and cultural resource preservation, and
Congress provided $44.4 million for NPS land acquisition
other activities. The largest single program funded through
in FY2019. For FY2020, H.R. 3052 would provide $68.4
the account is for NPS assistance to national heritage areas.
million. The Administration requested no funding for new
The Centennial Challenge account supports the National
NPS land acquisition projects in FY2020, stating that
Park Centennial Challenge Fund. Authorized by Congress
elimination of this funding would allow NPS to focus
in 2016 (54 U.S.C. §§103501 et seq.), the fund provides
resources on management of existing lands and assets.
matching grants to spur partner donations for projects or
NPS Assistance to Nonfederal Sites and Programs
programs that further the NPS mission and enhance the
Some Members, along with the Trump and Obama
visitor experience. Deferred maintenance is prioritized. The
Administrations, have questioned whether some NPS
fund is also authorized to receive offsetting collections from
assistance to nonfederal sites and programs should be
the sale of senior passes under the Federal Lands
reduced in order to focus funding on the agency’s “core
Recreational Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §§6801-6814).
mission” of managing federal parks. Two agency accounts
Issues in NPS Appropriations
(NR&P and HPF), along with some of the LASA account,
fund NPS assistance to nonfederal entities. These monies
Deferred Maintenance
combined represented less than 10% of total NPS funding
NPS’s backlog of deferred maintenance (DM), estimated at
in FY2019. For FY2020, House-reported H.R. 3052 would
$11.920 billion as of the end of FY2018, continues to be a
increase funding for all of these assistance accounts over
significant issue in the appropriations process. Despite
FY2019 amounts. The Trump Administration, by contrast,
legislation and agency actions aimed at addressing the
proposed reductions in many nonfederal assistance
backlog, it has increased over the past decade.
programs and elimination of some types of assistance,
including NPS grants to national heritage areas (which are
NPS funding to address DM comes from discretionary
nonfederally managed). The FY2020 budget justification
appropriations and other sources. Two appropriations
encouraged heritage area managers to seek sustainable
subactivities (“Line-Item Construction” in the Construction
funding from local and private beneficiaries.
account and “Repair and Rehabilitation” in the ONPS
account) are among the primary sources of funds for NPS
Laura B. Comay, Specialist in Natural Resources
DM, and for FY2019 NPS also allocated funds from a
“
IF11178
General Program Increase” for the Construction account in
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National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
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