Deferred maintenance backlog finally being funded

[AWG_Pics]

The Great American Outdoors Act signed in August transfers revenues to our public lands from oil and gas royalty money derived from drilling on federal property. This money is deposited into two funds: the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.


Here is a list of projects for this fiscal year: https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/doi-fy21-gaoa-dm-projects.pdf

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Nice to hear some good news about our park lands.
Frank

 

[buckland]

What percent of the moneys will be sent? I am trying to find specifics on this as amounts are important. So far I have not found info. Please steer me to documents if possible.
Thanks

 

[AWG_Pics]

This is the source of the information I shared: https://wildfiretoday.com/2020/11/20/deferred-maintenance-projects-for-federal-fire-agencies-receive-funding/

Bill Gabbert is a straight shooter, but he can only report what he is told from reliable sources. That information is frustratingly hard to come by.

 

[smlobx]

There’s going to be a lot of construction in the next few years all across the US due to this passage. In reviewing the list I cannot disagree with any of the items I’m familiar with but it will cause some major disruption in parks like Glacier and Yellowstone since their construction season is relatively short.

 

[Kolockum]

What percent of the moneys will be sent? I am trying to find specifics on this as amounts are important. So far I have not found info. Please steer me to documents if possible.
Thanks

50%

Here is the link to the official summary: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3422


"Introduced in Senate (03/09/2020)
Great American Outdoors Act
This bill establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands.
For FY2021-FY2025, there shall be deposited into the fund an amount equal to 50% of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.9 billion for any fiscal year.
The fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by

• the National Park Service,
• the Forest Service,
• the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
• the Bureau of Land Management, and
• the Bureau of Indian Education.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the effect of the fund in reducing the backlog of priority deferred maintenance projects for the specified agencies.
Additionally, the bill makes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent. The President shall annually report to Congress specified details regarding the allocation of funds to the LWCF. Congress may provide for alternate allocations using specified procedures."

 

[buckland]

Thanks for link ... much obliged.
I like to read fine print!

 

[Kolockum]

Thanks for link ... much obliged.
I like to read fine print!

No problem. I don't trust any reporter or news outlet to properly describe or explain any legal matter so I always look it up myself.

This bill looks very promising and reminds me of the days when the Forest Service, BLM, NPS, etc. were funded mainly off of Forest Service timber and mineral sales. Without getting political it is frustrating this was completely ignored. The only reason I knew about it was the Department of the Interior's weekly news release. Even then it was a small foot note.

 

[joez3]

Does this mean nothing will get done in 2021?
Trump Threatens Great American Outdoors Act | Outside Online

 

[AWG_Pics]

Does this mean nothing will get done in 2021?
Trump Threatens Great American Outdoors Act | Outside Online

This strikes me as a sign of incompetence and a general malaise, not really active mischief. If DOI upper management could think about anything other than getting oil and mineral lease auctions rushed forward, the list of deferred maintenance projects would have been a no-brainier. The excuse the DOI made of "the White House should have done it" is just a lazy lie.

There is a lot of resetting of priorities to be done early in 2021, but it is not too late for DOI to get many projects started. It takes from 3 to 6 months to spec, bid, and then contract federal projects. That means many projects could be started in August and September, and completed beginning in October, the beginning of Fiscal Year 2022.

 

[Kolockum]

This strikes me as a sign of incompetence and a general malaise, not really active mischief.

This fully describes my experience with the upper DOI management while working for the NPS. Although I would consider some of their tactics active mischief. If the DOI bureaucrats legitimately cared for improving public lands they would not let this opportunity go to waste.