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Updated November 15, 2021
National Park Service: FY2022 Appropriations
The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National
NPS (Table 1). The House-passed amount is 1% lower than
Park System, which includes 423 units valued for their
the Administration’s request and 11% higher than the
natural, cultural, and recreational importance. System lands
FY2021 appropriation. On October 18, 2021, the Senate
cover 81 million federal acres and 4 million nonfederal
Appropriations Committee chair released a majority draft
acres. As part of the Department of the Interior (DOI), NPS
bill (later introduced as S. 3034) with $3.463 million for
receives funding in annual appropriations laws for Interior,
NPS, also 1% less than the request and 11% more than
Environment, and Related Agencies. Selected issues for
FY2021. Because FY2022 appropriations were not enacted
Congress include the total level of NPS appropriations,
by the start of the fiscal year, continuing resolution P.L.
funding to address NPS’s backlog of deferred maintenance
117-43 provides continuing appropriations at FY2021
(DM), and funds for NPS assistance to nonfederal entities.
levels through December 3, 2021, or until full-year
FY2022 Appropriations
appropriations are enacted.
The Biden Administration requested $3.497 billion in
NPS’s Appropriations Accounts
FY2022 discretionary appropriations for NPS. The request
NPS has five discretionary appropriations accounts (Figure
was 12% higher than NPS’s FY2021 discretionary
1), not counting its land acquisition account, for which
appropriation of $3.123 billion, enacted in P.L. 116-260.
funding is now provided by mandatory appropriations.
The request included increases or level funding for all NPS
accounts as compared with FY2021 (Table 1). The
Figure 1. NPS Appropriations Accounts
Administration also estimated $1.108 billion in mandatory
(percentages reflect FY2021 appropriations)
appropriations for NPS for FY2022, an increase of 7% over
estimated NPS mandatory funding for FY2021. These
mandatory appropriations come from entrance and
recreation fees, concessioner fees, donations, and other
sources and also include land acquisition funding under the
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF, 54 U.S.C.
§200301). The LWCF funding previously had been
provided through discretionary appropriations but was
made mandatory in the Great American Outdoors Act
(GAOA; P.L. 116-152). NPS’s mandatory total does not
include NPS’s share from the National Parks and Public
Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF, the DM fund
established by the GAOA), which is recorded as a separate
allocation from a DOI department-wide account.
Source: Joint explanatory statement for P.L. 116-260.
On July 6, 2021, the House Committee on Appropriations
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park System. NR&P =
reported H.R. 4372 (H.Rept. 117-83), with $3.470 billion
National Recreation and Preservation. Figure reflects a rescission of
for NPS for FY2022. On July 29, 2021, the House passed
$23.0 mil ion.
H.R. 4502, a consolidated bill with the same amount for
Table 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations by Account ($ in millions)
FY2021 Enacted
FY2022 House-Passed % Change from
Senate % Change from
Accounta
(P.L. 116-260) Request
H.R. 4502
FY2021
S. 3034
FY2021
Operation of the Nat’l. Park System
2,688.3
2,977.3
2,965.8
+10%
2,930.1
+9%
Construction
223.9
278.6
252.6
+13%
253.1
+13%
Historic Preservation Fund
144.3
151.8
155.8
+8%
180.1
+25%
Nat’l. Recreation and Preservation
74.2
74.5
80.4
+8%
85.2
+15%
Centennial Chal enge
15.0
15.0
15.0
—
15.0
—
Total
3,122.7a
3,497.2
3,469.6
+11%
3,463.4
+11%
Sources: Data from House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Totals may not sum precisely due to rounding.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
National Park Service: FY2022 Appropriations
a.
Table does not show NPS’s Land Acquisition and State Assistance (LASA) account, for which funding was made mandatory by the GAOA
(see above). No discretionary funds went to the LASA account in FY2021 or in the House and Senate bil s for FY2022. For FY2021 (P.L.
116-260), Congress rescinded $23.0 mil ion from the LASA account, which is reflected in the total shown here.
The majority of NPS discretionary appropriations typically
The majority of mandatory spending for NPS DM is
have gone to the Operation of the National Park System
provided through the GAOA (P.L. 116-152), enacted in
(ONPS) account to support day-to-day activities, programs,
2020. To address DM of five agencies, the GAOA
and services at park units. These include resource
established the LRF (54 U.S.C. §§200401-200402) and
stewardship, visitor services, park protection, facility
authorized it to receive deposits of certain federal energy
operations and maintenance, and administrative costs.
revenues over five years, up to a cap of $1.900 billion
annually, with 70% of available funding allocated to NPS.
NPS’s Construction account covers rehabilitation of
For FY2021, the maximum revenues were available, so that
existing facilities as well as new construction. NPS
NPS received $1.330 billion. NPS must submit to Congress,
prioritizes DM in project planning. Projects are evaluated
with annual budget justifications, lists of priority DM
using criteria related to the condition of assets and their
projects to be addressed with this funding. Appropriators
importance to the park’s purposes. The account also covers
may specify alternate allocations for the funds. For more
other construction activities and planning.
information, see CRS In Focus IF11636, The Great
American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152).
NPS administers historic preservation programs through its
Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) account. Under the
Additionally, allocations from the Highway Trust Fund
National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. §300101),
support NPS road repair and improvements, including DM.
the fund receives $150 million annually from offshore
Other mandatory funding sources, such as recreation fees,
energy revenues, but monies are available only as provided
also have been used for NPS DM. For more information,
in appropriations acts. Most of the funding goes to state and
see CRS Report R44924, National Park Service Deferred
tribal historic preservation offices as formula grants to
Maintenance: Frequently Asked Questions.
preserve cultural and historical assets and sites. Congress
also has provided funding for competitive grant programs.
Land Acquisition Funding
LWCF funding for NPS land acquisition has been a subject
The National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P) account
of debate in the annual appropriations process. Some
funds NPS programs that assist state, local, tribal, and
Members have expressed the view that agency funding to
private land managers with grants for outdoor recreation
acquire new lands is misplaced given maintenance needs
planning, natural and cultural resource preservation, and
for existing lands, whereas others have contended that the
other activities. The largest single program funded through
funds—which typically are used to acquire nonfederal
the account is NPS assistance to national heritage areas.
inholdings within existing park units—help to complete
The Centennial Challenge account supports the National
valued parks and may facilitate maintenance efforts. The
Park Centennial Challenge Fund (54 U.S.C. §103501). The
GAOA shifted LWCF land acquisition funding from
fund provides matching grants to spur partner donations for
discretionary to mandatory spending. Under the GAOA,
projects or programs that further the NPS mission and
NPS budget submissions still must include account,
enhance the visitor experience. DM is prioritized. The fund
program, and project allocations for the LWCF funds, and
also is authorized to receive offsetting collections from the
appropriations acts may specify alternate allocations. For
sale of senior passes under the Federal Lands Recreation
more information, see CRS Report RL33531, Land and
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §6801).
Water Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and
Issues; and CRS In Focus IF11636, The Great American
Issues for Congress
Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152).
Deferred Maintenance
NPS Assistance to Nonfederal Sites and Programs
NPS’s backlog of DM, estimated at $14.368 billion as of
Some Members and other stakeholders have questioned
the end of FY2020, has been a significant issue in the
whether NPS assistance to nonfederal sites and programs
appropriations process. Despite legislation and agency
should be reduced in order to focus funding on the agency’s
actions aimed at addressing the backlog, it has increased
“core” mission of managing national parks. Two NPS
over the past decade. Congress may continue to assess
discretionary accounts (NR&P and HPF) provide funding
NPS’s progress in addressing DM, including the balance of
for such nonfederal assistance. These accounts combined
discretionary and mandatory funding provided for this
represented less than 10% of total NPS funding in FY2021.
purpose.
For FY2022, the Biden Administration’s request and the
House and Senate bills would increase funding for the
Two discretionary appropriations sub-activities (Line-Item
NR&P and HPF accounts. In previous years, the Trump and
Construction and Maintenance in the Construction account
Obama Administrations both proposed reductions for some
and Repair and Rehabilitation in the ONPS account) have
programs, including NPS grants to national heritage areas,
been primary sources of discretionary funding for NPS DM.
which are nonfederally managed. President Trump’s
For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provided $267.8 million for
FY2021 budget request, for example, would have
these two budget sub-activities. For FY2022, House-passed
eliminated heritage area project funding and encouraged
H.R. 4502 would provide $274.7 million, and S. 3034
heritage area managers to seek sustainable funding from
would provide $288.7 million. Portions of other NPS
local and private beneficiaries. For more information, see
discretionary budget activities also are used for DM.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
National Park Service: FY2022 Appropriations
CRS Report RL33462, Heritage Areas: Background,
Laura B. Comay, Dep Asst Dir/Spec
Proposals, and Current Issues; and CRS Report R45800,
The Federal Role in Historic Preservation: An Overview.
IF11928
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11928 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED