As Congress considers reauthorization of the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), new data from Trust for Public Land (TPL) shows that Americans overwhelmingly support federal action to address long-standing maintenance needs across the nation’s public lands.
The survey of 4,000 U.S. adults highlights widespread agreement that aging infrastructure in national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges must be repaired and modernized to ensure safe access and long-term sustainability, with 74% support for providing robust federal funding to address overdue maintenance and repair needs across public lands, and with just 6% opposing such investments. Support spans political affiliations, including 88% of Harris voters and 71% of Trump voters.
“These findings send a clear message: Americans value their public lands and want to see them properly maintained and protected,” said Kate Kelly, Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy at Trust for Public Land. “Investing in infrastructure like trails, roads, and visitor facilities is essential to ensuring these places remain safe, accessible and resilient for future generations.”
The Legacy Restoration Fund was established in 2020 to address decades of deferred maintenance across federal public lands, providing up to $6.5 billion over five years to repair aging infrastructure in national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, other public lands, and Bureau of Indian Education Schools. These investments have supported improvements to roads, bridges, campgrounds, visitor centers, and trails – many of which were at risk of permanent loss due to age and disrepair.
Congress is now considering reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund via the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act (S.1547), which would extend the program through 2033 and increase funding to $2 billion annually. This current Congress represents a key moment in determining the future of the program and the scale of bipartisan federal investment in public land infrastructure.
The Legacy Restoration Fund builds on a long tradition of bipartisan conservation programs that invest in America’s public lands. Alongside the Land and Water Conservation Fund which was permanently authorized and funded through the Dingell Act in 2019 and Great American Outdoors Act of 2020, these efforts represent a shared national commitment to stewarding and maintaining the parks and landscapes that Americans cherish.
“Sustained investments remain essential to ensuring that public lands can meet growing demands and serve future generations,” said Myke Bybee, Senior Director of Federal Relations at Trust for Public Land. “As Congress proceeds with the vital task of reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund, they have already taken action to permanently support LWCF and no additional authorizations or changes are needed to maintain the program’s critical conservation work into the future.”
Despite the success of the Legacy Restoration Fund, public land agencies continue to face significant maintenance backlogs that threaten visitor access, safety, and resource protection. Across federal agencies, deferred maintenance needs total tens of billions of dollars, including more than $23 billion within the National Park Service alone. Much of this backlog reflects aging infrastructure that has exceeded its expected lifespan, from deteriorating roads and bridges to outdated water systems and visitor facilities. Without sustained investment, these conditions can limit access, strain park operations, and diminish the experience of visitors.