Repair bills for Montana's public lands are in the hundreds of millions of dollars and lawmakers are being pushed to do something about it.
Congress allowed the National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund to expire last year. It was part of the Great American Outdoors Act passed in 2020 and set aside more than $9 billion for deferred maintenance projects nationally.
Rep. Lyn Bennett, R-Columbia Falls, said Glacier National Park is an economic engine for the Flathead Valley and all of Montana, with visitors spending nearly $500 million in 2025, adding it is important to make repairs before they cost even more.
"We're not just talking about cosmetic fixes, we're talking about critical infrastructure such as crumbling roads, washed-out trails, decaying campgrounds," Bennett outlined. "This funding will clear the way to the backlog and ensure that the spaces our families love remain open, safe and fully accessible."
Glacier National Park's maintenance and repair backlog is about $132 million and is far higher at Yellowstone National Park, at $1.2 billion.
Montana's congressional delegation strongly supports legislation restoring the fund, with Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., sponsoring the Senate bill and Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., introducing the House version. Both bills have passed committees and are now up for floor votes. The U.S. Department of the Interior said the national repair backlog is more than $35 billion.
Rebecca Knuffke, senior U.S. conservation officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts, said renewing the Legacy Restoration Fund will help the environment and the outdoor industry, noting the House and Senate bills have strong bipartisan support.
"Congress has a real opportunity to extend this important investment by passing the America the Beautiful Act, which will ensure these places can be enjoyed for the next 250 years and by generations to come," Knuffke contended.
Before the fund expired, it replaced utility systems and the Headwaters Wastewater System at Glacier National Park. The National Park Service said it improved drinking water safety and increased fire protection. The fund also helped repair roads, dams and buildings across Montana.