$9.5 Billion Bill Aims to Fix National Parks

Congressman Gabe Evans is co-sponsoring legislation, H.R. 9250, to address a massive maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands across the United States.

The bill proposes an investment of $1.9 billion annually for the next five years, totaling $9.5 billion, to repair critical facilities such as visitor centers, trailheads, restrooms, water systems, and roads.

Evans argues that this $9.5 billion investment is forecasted to bring a substantial return, generating an estimated $26 billion in economic activity through tourism and related industries.

He stated, "this piece of legislation that I helped to introduce, uh what this does is it invests $1.9 billion every year for the next 5 years to be able to go and fix that infrastructure."

Evans explained that this approach promotes affordable energy while cleaning up public lands, as U.S.-produced energy maintains a lower carbon footprint than global competitors.

Representative Evans highlighted that when energy is developed on federal lands, the developers are required to pay taxes on their activities, which can then be harvested to support conservation efforts.

Evans suggests that utilizing U.S.-produced energy, funded in part by these projects, contributes to a lower global carbon footprint compared to energy sourced from other nations, aligning environmental and economic goals.

He stated, "one of the sources of funding for this piece of legislation is federal energy development um projects. uh when you develop energy on federal lands, whoever is developing that energy, of course, has to pay taxes on it."

The proposed legislation has garnered significant bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, boasting over 250 co-sponsors and passing out of its committee unanimously.

Representative Evans highlighted a recurring issue where bills with strong bipartisan House approval, like the 'Rate Payer Protection Act' which passed 417-3, are subsequently blocked by Senate Democrats.

He remarked, "this is a situation where we can get things passed through the House. Uh, and the Senate holds things up."

The congressman argues that maintaining facilities like restrooms and trails is an essential component of the tourism experience rather than a superficial concern. Because park infrastructure acts as a primary economic engine, the bill is projected to generate $26 billion in returns, a 2.5x multiplier on the initial investment.

Maintaining essential facilities like restrooms and trails is not merely superficial but a fundamental component of the tourism experience that draws visitors to these areas.

The current bill, proposing a $9.5 billion investment, is projected to generate $26 billion in economic returns, representing a 2.5 times multiplier on the initial investment.

To ensure fairness, the bill also incorporates increased fees for foreign tourists who do not contribute to domestic taxes, ensuring they pay their fair share for park usage.

Representative Gabe Evans noted, "They're buying gas, they're staying at hotels, they're going to restaurants, they're renting trailers, and that can be a huge economic driver because of the tourism that it brings."

Representative Evans criticized the Biden administration for offering only nominal support for land maintenance compared to the substantial funding proposed in the new bill.

In Colorado alone, outdoor recreators such as hunters and anglers contribute more than $2 billion in revenue to the state economy annually.

Proper maintenance of essential infrastructure like water fountains, bathrooms, and trailheads is crucial for sustaining this significant economic inflow, which benefits visitor centers, parks, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.

Evans emphasized, "Colorado gets over $2 billion in revenue, just Colorado every year, from outdoor recreators like hunters and fishermen."

The proposed legislation boasts extensive bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, with over 250 co-sponsors, including a significant number of Democrats, indicating its broad appeal.

Representative Evans voiced concerns that Senate Democrats might prioritize political campaigning over advancing substantive, problem-solving legislation, potentially hindering the bill's progress.

Despite its widespread approval in the House, securing a clear pathway through the Senate remains the primary challenge for the bill to become law.

He reiterated, "The bill has broad bipartisan support through the committee in the House, with over 250 co-sponsors. There's a lot of Democrats on that."