This landmark conservation law, enacted in 2020, authorizes the use of up to $1.9 billion a year in energy development revenues for five years for needed maintenance to critical facilities and infrastructure in our wildlife refuges, national parks, forests, recreation areas and American Indian schools. The law also authorizes the use of $900 million in royalties from offshore oil and natural gas drilling sites to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund to invest in conservation and recreation opportunities across the country.

USFWS

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service infrastructure portfolio drives local economic activity and supports every recreation and conservation activity that occurs on Service lands. Infrastructure is always degrading. As one structural problem is fixed, others develop. Service structures are particularly vulnerable to deterioration because of remote field locations and the increasingly destructive effects of climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.

Learn more about climate change .

To repair and maintain its vast portfolio of constructed real property assets, the Service receives about $170 million a year in Congressional appropriations. The National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, established by the  Great American Outdoors Act Great American Outdoors Act
This landmark conservation law, enacted in 2020, authorizes the use of up to $1.9 billion a year in energy development revenues for five years for needed maintenance to facilities and infrastructure in our wildlife refuges, national parks, forests, recreation areas and American Indian schools.

Learn more about Great American Outdoors Act  (GAOA), directs about $95 million per year to the Service for priority projects to reduce the maintenance backlog at national wildlife refuges. That backlog affects facilities including visitor centers, roads, trails and other critical infrastructure.

Statistics below reflect some of the Service’s funded projects from fiscal years (FYs) 2021-2023. Funding from FY 2021 – 2023 of the Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (GAOA LRF) will improve assets at National Wildlife Refuges throughout the country. 

These projects will enhance the visitor, volunteer, and employee experiences by modernizing or repairing public-use facilities and recreational access. They also address safety concerns, deferred maintenance and backlog issues and improve ADA accessibility on U.S. Fish and Wildlife public lands.

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A modern building with a gray metal roof, and stone and metal siding. An American flag is in front.
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28 Refuges Awarded GAOA Legacy Restoration Funding (LRF)
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Construction workers build a structure at an Idaho refuge, with a truck using a crane arm to pipe in materials, on a clear day.
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About 256 million dollars allocated for 35 legacy restoration funded projects
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12 maintenance action teams formed to address deferred maintenance and repair backlog
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a group of people stand on a boardwalk during a construction project
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100 percent of Projects Focus on Repairing or Modernizing Infrastructure and Public-Use Facilities
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A man uses a laser level tool as a large excavator prepares to re-dig a ditch
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Boardwalk at Beaverdam Creek Swamp
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Almost half of all projects improve trails and recreational access
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corner of parking lot showing accessible parking and other striping. Beyond is the refuge.
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Over 69 percent of projects improve ADA accessibility
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