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Updated June 26, 2023
National Park Service: FY2023 Appropriations
The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National
S. 4686 was introduced in the Senate with $3.578 billion in
Park System, which includes 424 units valued for their
FY2023 discretionary appropriations for NPS. Because
natural, cultural, and recreational importance. System lands
FY2023 appropriations were not enacted by the start of the
cover 81 million federal acres and 4 million nonfederal
fiscal year, a series of continuing resolutions provided
acres. As part of the Department of the Interior (DOI), NPS
funding at FY2022 levels before enactment of P.L. 117-
receives funding in annual appropriations laws for Interior,
328.
Environment, and Related Agencies. This CRS product
discusses NPS’s FY2023 appropriations; for information on
NPS’s Appropriations Accounts
FY2024, see CRS In Focus IF12436, National Park
NPS had five discretionary appropriations accounts in
Service: FY2024 Appropriations.
FY2023 (Figure 1). About 84% of NPS’s FY2023
discretionary appropriations went to the Operation of the
FY2023 Appropriations
National Park System (ONPS) account to support day-to-
P.L. 117-328, Division G, the Consolidated Appropriations
day activities, programs, and services at park units. These
Act, 2023, was enacted on December 29, 2022. It contained
include resource stewardship, visitor services, park
$3.475 billion for NPS, 6% more than the enacted FY2022
protection, facility operations and maintenance, and
regular appropriation of $3.265 billion in P.L. 117-103.
administrative costs. The FY2023 appropriation for the
(The totals do not include supplemental funding in response
ONPS account was $2.923 billion; the Administration had
to natural disasters—$1.500 billion for FY2023 in P.L. 117-
requested $3.090 billion.
328, Division N, and $229.5 million for FY2022 in P.L.
Figure 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations Accounts
117-43—which is designated as emergency spending
(percentages reflect FY2023 appropriations)
outside of discretionary spending limits.) The regular
appropriations in P.L. 117-328 included increases for four
of the five NPS accounts compared with FY2022, and one
account where funding was level with FY2022 (Table 1).
FY2023 appropriations in P.L. 117-328 were 4% lower than
the Biden Administration’s request of $3.611 billion. The
enacted discretionary appropriation exceeded the
Administration’s request in two accounts, matched the
request for one account, and was lower than the request for
two accounts (Table 1).
In addition to discretionary appropriations, NPS estimated
mandatory appropriations for FY2023 at $1.220 billion, a
decline of 35% from NPS mandatory funding for FY2022.
(The FY2022 mandatory funding had included $700 million
Source: Joint explanatory statement for P.L. 117-328.
from P.L. 117-169, commonly known as the Inflation
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park System;
Reduction Act of 2022.) NPS’s mandatory appropriations
NR&P = National Recreation and Preservation. FY2023 data do not
generally come from entrance and recreation fees,
reflect supplemental (emergency-designated) appropriations in P.L.
concessioner fees, donations, and other sources and also
117-328 to address natural disasters.
include land acquisition funding from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF, 54 U.S.C. §200301),
The next-largest amount, 7% of the regular appropriation,
designated as mandatory appropriations by the Great
went to NPS’s Construction account, which covers repair,
American Outdoors Act (GAOA; P.L. 116-152). NPS’s
replacement, and improvement of existing facilities as well
FY2023 and FY2022 mandatory totals exclude allocations
as new construction. Projects are evaluated based on criteria
from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy
related to the condition of assets, their importance to park
Restoration Fund (LRF), the deferred maintenance fund
purposes, and project benefits and risks. The account also
established by the GAOA (see further discussion below).
covers other construction activities and planning. P.L. 117-
328 appropriated $239.8 million for the NPS Construction
In earlier action, on July 20, 2022, the House had passed
account for FY2023; the Administration’s request was
H.R. 8294, an FY2023 consolidated appropriations bill with
$279.3 million.
$3.643 billion for NPS (also see H.Rept. 117-400 on H.R.
8262, an earlier stand-alone House bill). On July 28, 2022,
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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Table 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations by Account ($ in millions)
FY2022 Enacted
FY2023 House-Passed Senate
FY2023 Enacted % Change from
Account
(P.L. 117-103)
Request H.R. 8294
S. 4686
(P.L. 117-328)
FY2022
Operation of the Nat’l Park System
2,767.0
3,089.9
3,089.9
3,044.2
2,923.4
+6%
Construction
226.0a
279.3
279.3
241.2
239.8a
+6%
Historic Preservation Fund
173.1
151.8
170.8
191.9
204.5
+18%
Nat’l Recreation and Preservation
83.9
74.6
88.2
85.4
92.5
+10%
Centennial Challenge
15.0
15.0
15.0
15.0
15.0
—
Total
3,265.0
3,610.6
3,643.3 3,577.8
3,475.3
+6%
Sources: Data from House Committee on Appropriations. Totals may not sum precisely due to rounding.
a. Does not include supplemental funding provided in P.L. 117-43 and P.L. 117-328, Division N, to address natural disasters.
About 6% of the FY2023 discretionary appropriations went
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C.
to the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) account. The HPF,
§§6801 et seq.).
established by the National Historic Preservation Act (54
U.S.C. §§300101 et seq.), receives $150 million annually
Mandatory Appropriations Under the
from offshore energy revenues, but monies are available
Great American Outdoors Act
only as provided in appropriations acts. P.L. 117-328
The GAOA established NPS funding from the LWCF as
provided $204.5 million for FY2023, primarily for NPS
mandatory appropriations. (Previously the LWCF funding
formula grants to state and tribal historic preservation
had been provided through discretionary appropriations.)
offices to preserve cultural and historical assets and sites.
The LWCF funds NPS’s own land acquisitions—typically
Portions of the total also were for competitive grant
nonfederal “inholdings” inside the boundaries of national
programs, historically black colleges and universities, and
park units—as well as NPS grants to states for outdoor
historic revitalization, as well as the Save America's
recreation needs. Allocation of the funding remains an issue
Treasures program (which preserves nationally significant
in the appropriations process, as the GAOA requires that
sites, structures, and artifacts) and sites related to the U.S.
the President’s annual budget submission include account,
Semiquincentennial (the 250th anniversary of the founding
program, and project allocations for the LWCF funds, and
of the United States). Certain individual projects also were
appropriations acts may specify alternate allocations. For
included as community project funding/congressionally
FY2023, NPS received $461.8 million from the LWCF. In
directed spending (also called earmarks). NPS had
addition to allocating funds for projects proposed in NPS’s
requested $151.8 million overall for the HPF account.
budget request, appropriators designated one NPS land
acquisition project as community project funding/
The National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P) account
congressionally directed spending.
received about 3% of the FY2023 total discretionary
appropriations. This account funds NPS programs that
Funding for the LRF, the deferred maintenance (DM) fund
assist state, local, tribal, and private land managers with
established by the GAOA, also is designated as mandatory
grants for outdoor recreation planning, natural and cultural
spending, allocated from a DOI department-wide account.
resource preservation, and other activities. The largest
The LRF receives annual deposits over five years based on
single program funded through the account is NPS
amounts of federal energy revenues. The fund has a cap of
assistance to national heritage areas. The FY2023
$1.900 billion annually, with 70% allocated to NPS. As in
appropriation for the NR&P account was $92.5 million, of
the case of the LWCF, the Administration must submit to
which $29.2 million was for national heritage areas. The
Congress, with the annual budget request, lists of priority
Administration had requested $74.6 million for the account,
DM projects to be addressed with LRF funding.
of which $22.3 million was for national heritage areas.
Appropriators may specify alternate allocations for the
Other funded programs included natural and cultural
funds. For FY2023, NPS proposed $1.330 billion in DM
programs, international park affairs, and environmental and
projects and administrative costs, and appropriators
compliance review. The account also contained community
allocated $1.333 billion. The FY2023 allocations included
project funding/congressionally directed spending under the
one project as community project funding/congressionally
category of statutory and contractual aid.
directed spending, as well as some other changes to the
NPS proposal.
Less than 1% of the FY2023 discretionary appropriations
went to the Centennial Challenge account, to support the
For More Information
National Park Centennial Challenge Fund. Authorized in
For more information, see CRS Report R42757, National
2016 (54 U.S.C. §§103501 et seq.), the fund matches
Park Service (NPS) Appropriations: Ten-Year Trends; and
donations for projects or programs that further the NPS
CRS Report R47253, Interior, Environment, and Related
mission and enhance the visitor experience. Deferred
Agencies: Overview of FY2023 Appropriations.
maintenance projects are prioritized. The FY2023
appropriation for the account was $15.0 million, the same
Laura B. Comay, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
as requested by the Administration. The fund also receives
offsetting collections from senior pass sales under the
IF12112
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National Park Service: FY2023 Appropriations
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