National Park Service (NPS) Appropriations:
Ten-Year Trends
Updated July 12, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R42757

National Park Service (NPS) Appropriations: Ten-Year Trends

Summary
The National Park Service (NPS) receives appropriations in the annual Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies appropriations bill. Over the past decade (FY2013-FY2022), NPS received both
regular (annual) appropriations and, in some years, supplemental appropriations to address
damage from hurricanes and other natural disasters. NPS’s regular appropriations fluctuated
during the decade but increased overall in both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars. The
FY2022 regular appropriation of $3.265 billion was 36% higher than FY2013 in nominal dollars
and 14% higher in inflation-adjusted dollars. NPS also received disaster-related supplemental
appropriations in FY2013, FY2018, FY2019, and FY2022. These funds were provided outside of
regular appropriations laws and were not subject to discretionary spending caps. With
supplementals included, FY2022 appropriations were 26% higher in nominal dollars and 5%
higher in inflation-adjusted dollars than FY2013. In addition to these regular and supplemental
discretionary appropriations, the agency also has mandatory sources of funding, which are
estimated to provide nearly one-quarter of total agency funding for FY2022.
During the FY2013-FY2022 period, NPS’s discretionary appropriations generally were organized
in six accounts. Funding for four accounts increased over the decade in inflation-adjusted dollars.
These included NPS’s largest account, which supports basic park operations, along with accounts
that fund grants for historic preservation activities, assistance to nonfederal entities for natural
and cultural resource preservation, and “Centennial Challenge” grants to spur partner donations
for park improvements. One account, covering construction and major repairs, decreased in
inflation-adjusted dollars when supplemental appropriations are included, but increased if they
are excluded. A sixth account, with funding for federal land acquisition and outdoor recreation
assistance to states, was shifted after FY2020 from discretionary to mandatory spending.
The funding changes took place in the context of a 9% increase in park visitation over the decade
(through calendar year 2021), despite a drop in visits in 2020 as the nation was affected by the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The size of the National Park System
remained roughly stable in terms of acreage, but 25 new units (many of relatively small size)
were added to the system. Notwithstanding the growth in NPS appropriations, agency staffing
levels declined by 9% over the decade.
A significant issue for NPS throughout the decade was the agency’s multibillion-dollar backlog of
deferred maintenance—infrastructure maintenance and repairs that were not performed as
scheduled or as needed. For two budget activities (within larger budget accounts) that primarily
address both regular and deferred maintenance, the combined funding grew in inflation-adjusted
terms. In addition, enactment of the Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152) in August 2020
provided a new source of mandatory spending to address NPS deferred maintenance.
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Contacts
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 17

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he National Park Service (NPS) administers the National Park System, which covers
85 million acres of land and consists of 423 diverse units included for their natural,
T cultural, and recreational importance. NPS generally receives appropriations in the annual
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This report examines trends in
the agency’s discretionary appropriations over the past decade (FY2013-FY2022). It also
discusses changes in NPS staffing levels, numbers of recreational visits to the parks, and the size
of the National Park System during that period.
NPS Discretionary Appropriations Totals
NPS’s discretionary appropriations generally increased during the past decade (FY2013-
FY2022), with some fluctuation. Regular discretionary appropriations (which exclude
supplemental appropriations) totaled $2.398 billion in FY2013 and $3.265 billion in FY2022. The
FY2022 figure was 36% higher than FY2013 in nominal dollars and 14% higher when adjusted
for inflation. The regular appropriations increased to a peak in FY2020 before declining (Figure
1), partly owing to the August 2020 enactment of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA; P.L.
116-152), which shifted some funding previously provided through discretionary appropriations
to mandatory spending (see text box, below). NPS received supplemental appropriations for
response to natural disasters in FY2013 (P.L. 113-2), FY2018 (P.L. 115-123), FY2019 (P.L. 116-
20), and FY2022 (P.L. 117-43).1 These funds were provided outside of regular appropriations and
were not subject to discretionary spending caps. With supplementals included, there was greater
fluctuation in annual totals but still an overall increase during the decade. Accounting for the
supplementals in both FY2013 and FY2022, the appropriations at the end of the decade were 26%
higher in nominal dollars and 5% higher in inflation-adjusted dollars than at the start (Figure 1
and Table 1).

Mandatory Appropriations in the National Park Service’s Budget
Most of NPS’s funding comes from discretionary appropriations, which are control ed by annual appropriations
laws. However, NPS also receives mandatory appropriations under various laws, which allow the agency to spend
money without further action by Congress. NPS estimated mandatory spending for FY2022 at $1.093 bil ion, while
the agency’s discretionary appropriations for FY2022 were $3.494 bil ion, including supplementals. Based on the
NPS estimate, mandatory appropriations would constitute approximately 24% of NPS’s total FY2022 funding.
NPS’s mandatory appropriations include recreation fees, concession franchise fees, receipts from leasing, and
direct cash donations, among others. The mandatory total also includes funding for NPS land acquisition and
assistance to states from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF, 54 U.S.C. §§200301 et seq.). Through
FY2020, the LWCF funding had been provided as discretionary appropriations in NPS’s Land Acquisition and State
Assistance (LASA) account, but it was made mandatory by 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 deferred maintenance fund established by the GAOA—which is allocated from a
DOI department-wide account. For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11636, The Great American Outdoors Act
(P.L. 116-152); and CRS In Focus IF12112, National Park Service: FY2023 Appropriations.

1 The figures and tables in this report generally reflect rescissions and supplemental appropriations to date, including
from P.L. 113-2 in response to Hurricane Sandy (FY2013); P.L. 115-123 in response to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and
Maria (FY2018); P.L. 116-20 in response to Hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, and
other natural disasters (FY2019); and P.L. 117-43 in response to wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters in
calendar years 2019-2021 (FY2022). Amounts for FY2013 also reflect the 2013 budget sequestration and an across-
the-board rescission of 0.2%. The data exclude permanent budget authorities and generally do not reflect transfers or
scorekeeping adjustments. Adjustments for inflation (shown in 2013 dollars) use the GDP Chained Price Index from
White House Office of Management and Budget, Historical Tables, Table 10.1, “Gross Domestic Product and
Deflators Used in the Historical Tables—1940-2023,” at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/historical-tables/.
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National Park Service (NPS) Appropriations: Ten-Year Trends

Figure 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations, FY2013-FY2022
($ billions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022) and from P.L. 117-43.
Note: See footnote 1 for additional information on this figure.
Table 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations, FY2013-FY2022
($ billions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars; includes supplemental appropriations)
Appropriation in
Appropriation in
% Change Since Previous Year

Nominal $
Inflation-Adjusted 2013 $
Nominal
Inflation-Adjusted
FY2013
2.775a
2.775
—
—
FY2014
2.562
2.513
-8%a
-9%
FY2015
2.615
2.536
+2%
+1%
FY2016
2.852
2.743
+9%
+8%
FY2017
2.932
2.771
+3%
+1%
FY2018
3.460b
3.195
+18%b
+15%
FY2019
3.351c
3.035
-3%b,c
-5%
FY2020
3.377
3.019
+1%c
-1%
FY2021
3.123
2.708
-8%
-10%
FY2022
3.494d
2.917
+12%
+8%
Change Over Decade
+0.720e
+0.142
+26%e
+5%
Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022) and from P.L. 117-43.
Notes: Amounts include supplemental appropriations. Totals may not sum precisely due to rounding. See
footnote 1 for additional information on this table.
a. The FY2013 total includes regular appropriations of $2.398 bil ion and supplemental appropriations of
$0.377 bil ion. Excluding the supplemental appropriations for FY2013, the FY2014 appropriation represents
a 7% increase over FY2013 in nominal dol ars.
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b. The FY2018 total includes regular appropriations of $3.202 bil ion and supplemental appropriations of
$0.258 bil ion. Excluding the supplemental, the regular appropriation for FY2018 represents a 9% increase
over FY2017 in nominal dol ars. Excluding supplementals for both FY2018 and FY2019, the FY2019
appropriation is a 1% increase over FY2018 in nominal dol ars.
c. The FY2019 total includes regular appropriations of $3.222 bil ion and supplemental appropriations of
$0.128 bil ion. Excluding supplementals for both FY2018 and FY2019, in nominal dol ars, the FY2019
appropriation is a 1% increase over FY2018 and the FY2020 appropriation is a 5% increase over FY2019.
d. The FY2022 total includes $3.265 bil ion in regular appropriations and $229.5 mil ion in supplemental
appropriations. Excluding the supplemental, FY2022 is a 5% increase over FY2021 in nominal dol ars.
e. Includes supplemental appropriations for both FY2013 and FY2022. Excluding supplementals, the increase
was $0.867 bil ion (+36%) in nominal dol ars and $0.328 bil ion (+14%) in inflation-adjusted dol ars.
Individual NPS Accounts
During the decade, NPS’s appropriations were organized in up to six accounts that covered basic
park operations (Operation of the National Park System, or ONPS, account); construction and
repair of infrastructure (Construction account); grants for historic preservation (Historic
Preservation Fund); assistance to nonfederal land managers (National Recreation and
Preservation account); matching grants primarily to address the backlog of deferred maintenance
on NPS infrastructure (Centennial Challenge account);2 and NPS land acquisition and outdoor
recreation grants to states (Land Acquisition and State Assistance account). The largest share of
NPS’s discretionary appropriations—79% in FY2022, counting supplemental appropriations—
went to the ONPS account, which covers basic park operations (Figure 2 and Table 2).
Figure 2. NPS’s FY2022 Discretionary Appropriations by Account

Source: Joint explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103; and P.L. 117-43.
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park Service; NR&P = National Recreation and Preservation; HPF =
Historic Preservation Fund; supp. = supplemental appropriations. Figures are in nominal dol ars. Percentages may
not sum precisely due to rounding.

2 For more information on the National Park Service’s (NPS’s) deferred maintenance backlog, see the text box below
(“NPS Infrastructure: Funding for Maintenance and Repairs”). See also CRS Report R44924, National Park Service
Deferred Maintenance: Frequently Asked Questions, by Laura B. Comay; and CRS In Focus IF12112, National Park
Service: FY2023 Appropriations, by Laura B. Comay.
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Table 2. NPS Appropriations by Account, FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal dollars and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

ONPS
Construction
LASA
HPF
NR&P
CC
Totala
FY2013
2,097.261
453.885b
96.567
100.486b
56.747
—
2,774.946b
FY2014
2,236.753
137.461
98.100
56.410
60.795
—
2,561.679
Inflation-Adjusted
2,194.302
134.852
96.238
55.339
59.641
2,513.061
FY2015
2,275.773
138.339
98.960
56.410
63.117
10.000
2,614.789
Inflation-Adjusted
2,207.277
134.175
95.981
54.712
61.217
9.699
2,536.089
FY2016
2,369.596
192.937
173.670
65.410
62.632
15.000
2,851.285
Inflation-Adjusted
2,279.387
185.592
167.059
62.920
60.248
14.429
2,742.739
FY2017
2,425.018
209.353
162.029
80.910
62.638
20.000
2,932.018
Inflation-Adjusted
2,291.783
197.851
153.127
76.465
59.197
18.901
2,770.927
FY2018
2,477.969
567.304c
180.941
146.910c
63.638
23.000
3,459.762c
Inflation-Adjusted
2,288.514
523.930
167.107
135.678
58.773
21.242
3,195.243
FY2019
2,502.711
442.704d
168.444
152.660d
64.138
20.000
3,350.657d
Inflation-Adjusted
2,267.156
401.037
152.590
138.292
58.101
18.118
3,035.294
FY2020
2,576.992
389.345
206.121
118.660
71.166
15.000
3,377.284
Inflation-Adjusted
2,303.706
348.055
184.262
106.076
63.619
13.409
3,019.128
FY2021
2,688.287
223.907
[-23.000]e
144.300
74.157
15.000
3,122.651
Inflation-Adjusted
2,331.558
194.195
[-19.948]
125.152
64.317
13.010
2,708.283
FY2022
2,767.028
455.456f
—e
173.072
83.910
15.000
3,494.466f
Inflation-Adjusted
2,309.561
380.156
144.458
70.037
12.520
2,916.733
Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022) and from P.L. 117-43.
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park System account; NR&P = National Recreation and Preservation
account; HPF = Historic Preservation Fund account; LASA = Land Acquisition and State Assistance account;
CC = Centennial Challenge account. Data include supplemental appropriations. See footnote 1 for additional
information on this table.
a. Totals for FY2013-FY2017 reflect rescissions of LWCF contract authority of approximately $30.0 mil ion
(annual amounts vary due to sequestration). Because these rescissions are not tied to an individual account,
the figures for the individual accounts do not add up to the totals shown. Congress did not enact the
rescissions of contract authority in FY2018-FY2022 appropriations. (Separately, the FY2020 and FY2021
appropriations contained rescissions and/or cancellations of unobligated balances from the LASA account.)
b. The FY2013 total of $2.775 bil ion includes regular appropriations of $2.398 bil ion and supplemental
appropriations of $377.3 mil ion (after sequestration). Supplemental FY2013 appropriations for specific
accounts (after sequestration) were $329.8 mil ion for Construction and $47.5 mil ion for HPF.
c. The FY2018 total of $3.460 bil ion includes regular appropriations of $3.202 bil ion and supplemental
appropriations of $257.6 mil ion. Supplemental FY2018 appropriations for specific accounts were $207.6
mil ion for Construction and $50.0 mil ion for HPF.
d. The FY2019 total of $3.351 bil ion includes regular appropriations of $3.223 bil ion and supplemental
appropriations of $128.0 mil ion. Supplemental FY2019 appropriations for specific accounts were
$78.0 mil ion for Construction and $50.0 mil ion for HPF.
e. The Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152), enacted in August 2020, shifted the funding previously
provided in the LASA account (i.e., funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund) to mandatory
appropriations, so there were no discretionary appropriations to this account for FY2021 or FY2022. For
FY2021, appropriators canceled $23.0 mil ion in unobligated balances from the LASA account.
f.
The FY2022 total of $3.494 bil ion includes regular appropriations of $3.265 bil ion and supplemental
appropriations of $229.5 mil ion. The supplemental FY2022 appropriations were provided for the
Construction account.
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National Park Service (NPS) Appropriations: Ten-Year Trends

The portfolio of NPS accounts changed twice during the decade. The Centennial Challenge
account was not included in FY2013 or FY2014 appropriations but was funded in FY2015 and
thereafter. Also, through FY2020, NPS received discretionary appropriations from the Land and
Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the Land Acquisition and State Assistance (LASA) account;
but in August 2020, the GAOA designated all funding from the LWCF as mandatory spending,
and the discretionary LASA account was not funded in FY2021 or FY2022.
Operation of the National Park System Account
Appropriations for the largest NPS account, entitled Operation of the National Park System
(ONPS), support the day-to-day operations of the National Park System. ONPS funding was
$2.097 billion in FY2013 and increased to $2.767 billion in nominal dollars in FY2022 (Table 2
and Figure 3). When adjusted for inflation, this represents an increase of 10%. As a percentage of
total regular NPS appropriations (excluding supplemental appropriations), the ONPS share was
87% in FY2013 and 85% in FY2022. The ONPS account was not affected by supplemental
appropriations during the decade, but with supplementals counted in the overall appropriations
totals, the ONPS account represented 76% of total funding in FY2013 and 79% in FY2022.
Figure 3. Appropriations for NPS’s Operation of the National Park System (ONPS)
Account, FY2013-FY2022
($ billions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022. See footnote 1 for
additional information on this figure.
The majority of ONPS funds are provided directly to individual park units. Activities under the
account include resource stewardship, visitor services, park protection (including the U.S. Park
Police), facility operations and maintenance, park support, and “external administrative costs” for
services provided by outside entities.3 Funding for five of these six activities increased over the

3 Park support includes administering, managing, and supporting the operations of park units. External administrative
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decade in inflation-adjusted dollars, while amounts for one activity (park protection) were nearly
level when adjusted for inflation.4 The greatest percentage increase was for the facility operations
and maintenance activity, which grew by 22% in inflation-adjusted dollars.
Construction Account
The second-largest NPS account, titled Construction, funds repairs and improvements to existing
facilities as well as new construction projects and other activities. Regular appropriations for the
Construction account generally increased through FY2020 and declined thereafter. Supplemental
appropriations for disaster recovery in FY2013, FY2018, FY2019, and FY2022 increased the
account totals for those years. The regular appropriations (excluding supplementals) were 52%
higher in FY2022 than FY2013 in inflation-adjusted dollars. If supplementals are counted, the
FY2022 appropriation was 16% lower than FY2013, adjusting for inflation (Table 2 and Figure
4). The Construction account represented 16% of the total discretionary appropriation for FY2013
and 13% for FY2022, counting supplementals; without supplementals, the percentages are 5% of
the total for FY2013 and 7% of the total for FY2022.
Figure 4. Appropriations for NPS’s Construction Account, FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022) and from P.L. 117-43. See
footnote 1 for additional information on this figure.

costs include employee compensation, unemployment compensation, centralized information technology costs,
telecommunications, postage, space rental from the General Services Administration, and department program charges.
4 In inflation-adjusted dollars, the percentage changes in funding over the decade were as follows: resource
stewardship, +3%; visitor services, +7%; facility operations and maintenance, +22%; park support, +11%; external
administrative costs, +3%; park protection, - <1%.
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NPS Infrastructure: Funding for Maintenance and Repairs
NPS’s substantial backlog of deferred maintenance (DM)—infrastructure maintenance and repairs that were not
performed as scheduled or as needed—has been an ongoing concern for many in Congress. The backlog grew in
nominal dol ars from an estimated mid-range figure of $11.27 bil ion in FY2013 to an estimated $21.83 bil ion as of
the end of the first quarter of FY2022. This is a growth of 94% in nominal dol ars or 62% in inflation-adjusted
terms, and includes a 59% nominal-dol ar increase in one year (FY2020-FY2021), which NPS attributes primarily to
changes in its methods for estimating DM. In addition to addressing DM, NPS also must budget for ongoing cyclical
and routine maintenance to keep infrastructure in good condition and to avoid adding to the DM backlog.
Discretionary appropriations, along with allocations from the Department of Transportation for road and bridge
improvements, historically provided most of the agency’s funding for maintenance and repairs. In 2020, however,
the Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152) established the National Parks and Public Lands Legacy
Restoration Fund with mandatory funding for NPS DM of up to $1.33 bil ion annually for five years.
Within NPS’s discretionary appropriations, two budget activities provide the primary support to address
maintenance and repairs (both regular and deferred): the line-item construction and maintenance activity within the
Construction account and the facility maintenance subactivity within the Operation of the National Park System
account. Funding for the two budget activities combined (Figure 5) roughly doubled in inflation-adjusted dol ars
through FY2020 and then declined, for overall growth of 48% in inflation-adjusted dol ars over the decade. Other
discretionary and mandatory funds from multiple sources also have been used for NPS maintenance and repairs.
Figure 5. Appropriations for Two NPS Discretionary Budget Activities That
Primarily Address Maintenance and Repairs, FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Source: NPS budget justifications for FY2015-FY2023; and CRS communication with NPS Budget Office.
Notes: Funding does not include supplemental appropriations to the Construction account for disaster
recovery, since the supplemental appropriations are not broken down by budget activity.
For more information on NPS maintenance and repairs, see CRS Report R44924, National Park Service Deferred
Maintenance: Frequently Asked Questions; CRS Report R43997, Deferred Maintenance of Federal Land Management
Agencies: FY2011-FY2020 Estimates and Issues; and CRS In Focus IF11636, The Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-
152).

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Among the specific activities funded in the Construction account, the largest is line-item
construction and maintenance, which covers construction of new facilities and rehabilitation and
replacement of existing facilities. Appropriations for this budget activity roughly quintupled in
inflation-adjusted dollars between FY2013 and FY2020 before declining in FY2021 and FY2022,
for an overall growth of 130% over the decade. According to NPS, the activity “focuses on
projects that repair, replace, or improve high priority mission-critical and mission-dependent
assets, and ensures that investments are reasonable, cost effective, and fiscally sustainable over
the life-time of the investment.”5 Other activities funded in the Construction account include
emergency and unscheduled construction, repair and replacement of employee housing, dam
safety, equipment replacement, construction planning and program management, development of
general management plans for park units, and preparation of special studies of areas (for instance,
to assess their potential for inclusion in the National Park System).
Historic Preservation Fund
The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), established in 1976, is administered by NPS through
appropriations to the agency’s HPF account. In accordance with the purposes of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA),6 the fund primarily provides grants-in-aid to state and tribal
historic preservation offices for conservation of cultural and historical assets and sites. Some of
these grants are awarded by formula, and others are provided through competitive programs. The
HPF is funded by revenues from oil and gas activities on the U.S. outer continental shelf. Funding
was reauthorized through FY2023 in P.L. 114-289.
The HPF receives $150 million annually in deposits from offshore oil and gas revenues, but the
funding is available only to the extent appropriated by Congress. Annual appropriations from the
account were less than the deposited amount during the first half of the decade but subsequently
increased and exceeded the annual deposit in FY2022 (Figure 6 and Table 2). Excluding
supplementals, the FY2022 appropriation was 173% higher in inflation-adjusted dollars than the
FY2013 appropriation. With supplementals included, it was 44% higher.
Supplemental appropriations augmented regular appropriations for the HPF account in three
years—FY2013, FY2018, and FY2019—and were targeted primarily to hurricane recovery.7 The
funding was mainly to assist recovering states and territories with compliance activities related to
Section 106 of the NHPA.8 Under Section 106, undertakings that receive federal funds or
permits—including some hurricane recovery activities—must be evaluated for their potential
effects on historic properties. Counting the FY2013 supplemental, the HPF account represented
4% of the total NPS appropriation in FY2013; excluding the supplemental, it was 2%. The
account represented 5% of the FY2022 appropriation and did not receive supplemental funding in
that year.
The largest activity in the HPF account is grant funding for state historic preservation offices,
which rose by 8% in inflation-adjusted terms over the decade. Grants for tribal historic
preservation offices increased by 57% after adjusting for inflation. The account also funded
various competitive grant programs in particular years. For FY2022, these included grants for

5 NPS, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2023, p. Const-8, at https://www.doi.gov/sites/
doi.gov/files/fy2023-nps-greenbook.pdf.
6 P.L. 89-665, as amended; 54 U.S.C. §§300101 et seq. For more information on historic preservation and the HPF, see
CRS Report R45800, The Federal Role in Historic Preservation: An Overview, by Mark K. DeSantis.
7 P.L. 113-2, P.L. 115-123, and P.L. 116-20. The FY2019 funds also were for response to other types of natural
disasters.
8 54 U.S.C. §306108.
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sites associated with the African American civil rights movement, grants to preserve the history of
equal rights, and grants to underserved communities. As separate line items, the account also
funded grants for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), historic revitalization, the
Save America’s Treasures program to restore nationally significant historic structures and
artifacts, and preservation activities related to the U.S. Semiquincentennial (the 250th anniversary
of the founding of the United States).
Figure 6. Appropriations for NPS’s Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Account,
FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022. See footnote 1 for
additional information on this figure.
National Recreation and Preservation Account
The National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P) account funds NPS programs that primarily
assist state, local, tribal, and private land managers with outdoor recreation planning, natural and
cultural resource preservation, and other activities outside the National Park System.
Appropriations for the account were 23% higher in inflation-adjusted dollars in FY2022 as
compared with FY2013 (Figure 7 and Table 2). The portion of NPS regular appropriations used
for the NR&P account was 2% in FY2013 and 3% in FY2022. The NR&P account was not a
recipient of supplemental funding during the decade but with supplementals included in the
overall appropriations totals, the NR&P share was 2% of the total in both FY2013 and FY2022.
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Figure 7. Appropriations for NPS’s National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P)
Account, FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2017-FY2020. Data for FY2022 are from the joint
explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022. See footnote 1 for
additional information on this figure.
A variety of natural, cultural, and recreational assistance programs are funded in the NR&P
account. NPS’s Heritage Partnership Program, which provides funding assistance to national
heritage areas, is the largest single program in the account.9 Its appropriations grew over the
decade by 37% in inflation-adjusted dollars, despite budget requests from the Obama and Trump
Administrations for significant reductions. There were 49 heritage areas until Congress
established 6 new heritage areas in March 2019 in P.L. 116-9. The NR&P account also has
included other programs that assist nonfederal entities, such as the American Battlefield
Protection Program;10 Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program; National Natural
Landmarks and National Historic Landmarks Programs; and National Register of Historic Places.
The account further covers international park affairs and environmental and compliance review.
Centennial Challenge
The Centennial Challenge account was funded through most of the decade (FY2015-FY2022).11
The account consists of a matching-grant program to spur partner donations for park

9 National heritage areas are established by Congress but are not federally managed, and they are not part of the
National Park System. For more on national heritage areas, see CRS Report RL33462, Heritage Areas: Background,
Proposals, and Current Issues, by Mark K. DeSantis.
10 The American Battlefield Protection Program’s (ABPP’s) planning grants are funded in the NR&P account, while
grants to states for battlefield land acquisition, modernization, and restoration are funded through the Land and Water
Conservation Fund (see below). For more on the ABPP, see CRS In Focus IF11329, American Battlefield Protection
Program, by Mark K. DeSantis.
11 The account had earlier received funding in FY2008 and in FY2010 under the title “Park Partnership Grants.”
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improvements, primarily aimed at addressing deferred maintenance.12 The name “Centennial
Challenge” indicates the fund’s origin as a program to improve the parks in anticipation of NPS’s
2016 centennial anniversary and its second century of park management. Both the George W.
Bush and Obama Administrations had proposed discretionary and mandatory funding for the fund
prior to its legislative establishment in December 2016 (P.L. 114-289), and Congress had
provided discretionary appropriations in some years, starting in FY2008. P.L. 114-289 codified
the Centennial Challenge Fund and authorized it to receive federal revenues from certain sales of
National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to seniors, in addition to discretionary
appropriations. The senior pass revenues are provided as offsetting collections. Revenues are to
be matched on at least a one-to-one basis by nonfederal donations.
During the FY2015-FY2022 period, appropriations for the fund rose and then fell (Table 2 and
Figure 8). The FY2022 appropriation was 29% higher than FY2015 in inflation-adjusted dollars.
The account represented less than 1% of total NPS appropriations in both years (with or without
supplementals included in the total appropriation).13
Figure 8. Appropriations for NPS’s Centennial Challenge Account, FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2015-FY2021 are from NPS budget justifications for FY2017-FY2023. Data for FY2022 are
from the joint explanatory statement for P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022. See footnote
1 for additional information on this figure.
Land Acquisition and State Assistance Account
Through FY2020, NPS’s LASA account consisted of discretionary appropriations from the Land
and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF, 54 U.S.C. §§200301 et seq.). The LWCF is the primary
funding source for the federal land management agencies to acquire lands and funds NPS-

12 The account provides the federal share of matching grants for “signature” park projects and programs identified by
the Interior Secretary and must “help prepare the national parks for another century of conservation, preservation, and
visitor enjoyment” (P.L. 114-289).
13 The Centennial Challenge account received no supplemental funding during the decade.
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administered grants to states for outdoor recreation needs.14 Under the LWCF Act, the LWCF
receives deposits of $900 million annually, primarily from offshore oil and gas revenues.15 During
most of the decade covered by this report, this funding was available only to the extent provided
in discretionary appropriations acts. In August 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA;
P.L. 116-152) made all funding from the LWCF mandatory spending.16 Thus, there were no
discretionary appropriations for NPS’s LASA account in FY2021 or FY2022.17
Figure 9. Appropriations for NPS’s Land Acquisition and State Assistance (LASA)
Account, FY2013-FY2022
($ millions, in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars)

Sources: Data for FY2013 are from annual House Appropriations Committee detailed tables for NPS. Data for
FY2014-FY2020 data are from NPS budget justifications for FY2016-FY2022.
Notes: See footnote 1 for additional information on this figure. Not reflected in the figure is a cancellation of
$23.0 mil ion in unobligated balances from the LASA account in FY2021.
The LASA account covered NPS’s own acquisitions—typically nonfederal “inholdings” inside
the boundaries of national park units—and NPS grants to states for outdoor recreation purposes.
During the FY2013-FY2020 period, discretionary appropriations for the LASA account—
including both NPS federal land acquisition and assistance to states—increased overall, with a
notable growth in FY2016 and after (Figure 9 and Table 2), primarily attributable to higher
appropriations for the state assistance program in the later years. Adjusted for inflation, the

14 For more information on the LWCF, see CRS Report RL33531, Land and Water Conservation Fund: Overview,
Funding History, and Issues, by Carol Hardy Vincent.
15 The state grant program of the LWCF also receives additional mandatory funding from offshore oil and gas revenues
under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-432).
16 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11636, The Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152), by Carol
Hardy Vincent, Laura B. Comay, and Bill Heniff Jr. Although the funding is now provided through mandatory
appropriations, allocation of amounts remains an issue in the discretionary appropriations process, as the GAOA
requires that the President’s annual budget submission include account, program, and project allocations for the LWCF
funds, and appropriations acts may specify alternate allocations.
17 For FY2021, P.L. 117-103 contained a $23.0 million cancellation of unobligated balances from the account, which is
not reflected in Figure 9.
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appropriation grew by 91% between FY2013 and FY2020. The LASA account represented
approximately 4% of the total NPS regular appropriation in FY2013 (or 3% when accounting for
supplementals) and 6% in FY2020.18
NPS Appropriations in Context
Changes in NPS appropriations can be considered in the context of changes in the numbers of
annual visits to the parks, agency staffing levels, and the National Park System’s size, among
other factors. Over the past decade, total annual visits to the parks increased, despite a notable
drop in visitation in FY2020 related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Notwithstanding increases in appropriations, NPS staffing levels were lower at the end of the
decade than the beginning. The size of the National Park System remained roughly steady in
terms of acreage, but 25 new units were added.
Visits to the National Parks
Numbers of recreational visits to the National Park System varied over the past 10 years. The
highest numbers of visits (roughly 330 million each year) were in calendar years 2016, 2017, and
2019 (Figure 10 and Table 3). The visitation numbers dropped significantly in 2020 after the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but rebounded to almost 300 million visits in 2021, making
visitation in that year 9% higher than at the beginning of the decade.
Figure 10. Annual Recreational Visits to the National Park System, 2013-2022
(total visits in millions, by calendar year)

Source: National Park Service, NPS Stats, at https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/Reports/National.
Notes: The figure for 2022 shows visits through June 2022 (132.4 mil ion visits). For comparison with the
previous year, visits through June 2021 totaled 127.7 mil ion.

18 The LASA account did not receive supplemental appropriations during the decade, but the FY2013 overall total was
affected by a supplemental.
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Table 3. Annual Recreational Visits to the National Park System, 2013-2022
(total visits in millions, by calendar year)
Number of Visits
Number of Visits
Year
(in millions)
Year
(in millions)
2013
273.6
2018
318.2
2014
292.8
2019
327.5
2015
307.2
2020
237.1
2016
331.0
2021
297.1
2017
330.9
2022 (thr. June)
132.4
Source: NPS, NPS Stats, at https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/Reports/National.
Notes: The figure for 2022 shows visits through June 2022 (132.4 mil ion visits). For comparison with the
previous year, visits through June 2021 totaled 127.7 mil ion.
NPS’s recreational visits for 2022 are available through the end of June 2022. The year-to-date
total of 132.4 million visits is 4% higher than for the same six-month span in 2021 (127.7 million
visits). Many factors may affect visitation to the parks in a given year, including national
economic conditions, weather, changes in population demographics, park closures due to
disasters or lapses in appropriations, park promotional campaigns, competing recreational
choices, and other factors.
National Park Service Staffing
NPS full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing levels were highest in the earlier part of the decade. FTE
staffing ranged from a high of 20,720 in FY2013 to a low of 18,060 in FY2020 (Table 4 and
Figure 11).19 Estimated staffing for FY2022 (18,930 FTE) is 9% lower than at the beginning of
the decade.
Table 4. NPS Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff, FY2013-FY2022
Year
Number of FTEs
Year
Number of FTEs
FY2013
20,720
FY2018
19,032
FY2014
19,894
FY2019
18,544
FY2015
19,539
FY2020
18,060
FY2016
19,722
FY2021
18,814
FY2017
19,668
FY2022
18,930 (est.)
Sources: FY2013-FY2015 figures from U.S. Department of the Interior, “Department of the Interior FTE
History: Ful -Time Equivalent Staff Year (FTE) Actual of Bureaus and Offices.” FY2016-FY2021 figures from NPS
budget justifications. FY2022 figure from CRS communication with NPS Budget Office, June 7, 2022.

19 These employment figures, reported in NPS budget justifications, differ from those reported by the Office of
Personnel Management (OPM). NPS calculates employment by FTEs, defined as the total number of regular straight-
time hours (not including overtime or holiday hours) worked by employees, divided by the number of compensable
hours applicable to each fiscal year. By contrast, OPM data utilizes “on-board employment” figures, which calculate
the number of employees in pay status at the end of the quarter. For more information, see CRS Report R45480, U.S.
Department of the Interior: An Overview, by Mark K. DeSantis.
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Figure 11. NPS Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff, FY2013-FY2022

Sources: FY2013-FY2015 figures from U.S. Department of the Interior, “Department of the Interior FTE
History: Ful -Time Equivalent Staff Year (FTE) Actual of Bureaus and Offices.” FY2016-FY2021 figures from NPS
budget justifications. FY2022 figure from CRS communication with NPS Budget Office, June 7, 2022.
Size of the National Park System
National Park System acreage grew by 1% over the decade, from 84.5 million acres in FY2013 to
85.1 million acres in FY2022 (Table 5). The percentage of National Park System lands owned by
the federal government remained steady, at 95% of total system lands.20 The remainder—the
nonfederal land in the system—includes lands within park boundaries that are owned by state or
local governments and by private landowners.
Table 5. Size of the National Park System, FY2013-FY2022
(in millions of acres)

Federal Land
Nonfederal Land
Total Acreage
FY2013
80.473
4.007
84.479
FY2014
80.466
4.011
84.477
FY2015
80.598
4.019
84.616
FY2016
80.728
4.008
84.736
FY2017
81.008
4.031
85.039
FY2018
81.011
4.034
85.045
FY2019
81.095
4.005
85.100
FY2020
81.098
4.015
85.112

20 Almost all of the system’s federally owned lands are directly administered by NPS. However, the federally owned
portion of the system also includes some NPS “less than fee” acres (e.g., conservation easements or rights-of-way) and
some lands managed by other federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Reclamation or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Taken together, these two types of lands amount to about 1% of the federally owned portion of the system.
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Federal Land
Nonfederal Land
Total Acreage
FY2021
81.104
4.012
85.116
FY2022 (thr. March)
81.109
4.011
85.120
Source: NPS Land Resources Division, annual summaries of acreage, available at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/
lwcf/acreagereports.htm.
Notes: Federal Land category includes NPS Fee Acres, Less Than Fee Acres, and Other Federal Fee Acres.
Nonfederal Land category includes Other Public Acres and Private Acres. Totals may not sum precisely due to
rounding.
A total of 25 units were added to the system in the FY2013-FY2022 period (to date).21 Many
were relatively small in acreage, such as Stonewall National Monument in New York (0.12 acres)
and Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in Washington, DC (0.34 acres). The
largest units added to the system during the decade were Valles Caldera National Preserve in New
Mexico (89,766 acres) and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine (87,564
acres). Other acreage changes resulted from boundary adjustments in existing parks.
Concluding Summary
NPS’s regular discretionary appropriations fluctuated over the past decade, with an overall trend
of growth in both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars. The FY2022 regular appropriation
(excluding supplemental appropriations) was 36% higher than FY2013 in nominal dollars and
14% higher in inflation-adjusted dollars. NPS received supplemental appropriations for disaster
relief in FY2013, FY2018, FY2019, and FY2022. With the supplementals included, the total
appropriations grew by 26% in nominal dollars and 5% in inflation-adjusted dollars. Among the
six NPS accounts in use during the decade, the account covering basic park operations
consistently received the highest share of the total appropriation.
NPS’s overall funding growth occurred in the context of a 9% increase in park visits over the
decade. Visits to the parks peaked in 2016, 2017, and 2019 at approximately 330 million visits for
each of those years. Notwithstanding the growth in NPS appropriations, agency staffing levels
declined by 9% over the decade. Although park acreage grew by only 1%, 25 units were added to
the system over the 10-year period.
A major funding issue for NPS is infrastructure reinvestment. The agency’s backlog of deferred
maintenance and repairs was estimated at $21.83 billion as of the first quarter of FY2022, a
growth of 62% over the decade in inflation-adjusted dollars. For two discretionary subaccounts
(within the ONPS and Construction accounts) that mainly address both regular and deferred
maintenance, the combined funding increased by 48% in inflation-adjusted dollars over this

21 These units are the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument (CA), Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National
Historical Park (MD), First State National Historical Park (DE), Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
(OH), Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (NV), World War I Memorial (DC), Valles Caldera National
Preserve (NM), Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (MA and RI), Pullman National Monument (IL),
Honouliuli National Monument (HI), Waco Mammoth National Monument (TX), Manhattan Project National
Historical Park (TN, NM, and WA), Castle Mountains National Monument (CA), Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality
National Monument (DC), Stonewall National Monument (NY), Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
(ME), Harriet Tubman National Historical Park (NY), Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (AL), Freedom
Riders National Monument (AL), Reconstruction Era National Monument (SC), Camp Nelson National Monument
(KY), Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial (DC), Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument (KY), Ste. Genevieve
National Historical Park (MO), and Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (MS). A list of recent
additions to the National Park System is at NPS, Recent Changes in the National Park System, at https://www.nps.gov/
aboutus/recent-changes.htm.
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period. In addition, the Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152), enacted in August 2020,
provided a new source of mandatory spending to address NPS deferred maintenance. NPS’s
infrastructure needs have continued to receive attention in the 117th Congress, both within and
outside the annual appropriations process.

Author Information

Laura B. Comay

Specialist in Natural Resources Policy

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
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under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
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Congressional Research Service
R42757 · VERSION 36 · UPDATED
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