June 11, 2026

• Bipartisan bill introduced in U.S. House to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund
• National parks and public lands to receive $1.9 billion annually
• Oil and natural gas developed on public lands fund the program

DENVER – A federal conservation program that directs nearly $2 billion annually to national parks and other public lands is closer to being renewed by Congress after expiring last fall. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) introduced the Great American Outdoors Act 250 to reauthorize the historic Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and will hold a hearing on Friday to address the $40 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on public lands. Western Energy Alliance backed the measure in a letter of support, saying it would keep critical conservation projects moving forward with revenue from federal oil and natural gas development.

Created in 2020 with strong bipartisan support, the LRF is the largest federal conservation program. It directs up to $1.9 billion a year from energy developed on multiple-use public lands to fund deferred maintenance projects at national parks, forests, wetlands and other public lands. The original five-year authorization for the program expired at the end of the federal government’s fiscal year last September.

“The Legacy Restoration Fund fulfills the balanced use of public lands that’s shaped our land management for over a century. As energy producers that operate on multiple-use public lands in the West, and subsequently contribute significantly toward funding conservation under the LRF, we're invested in supporting the Great American Outdoors Act 250. Chairman Westerman deserves a lot of praise for crafting a bipartisan bill that restores our nation's public lands for years to come,” said Melissa Simpson, president of the Alliance.

Between 2021and 2025, $8.3 billion was allocated under the LRF to 1,651 projects ranging from improvements to campgrounds, trails, and visitor centers, to infrastructure that keeps visitors safe and protects the environment. Examples of projects across the West include:

• Yellowstone National Park - $388 million combined to protect natural assets like Old Faithful and to improve boardwalks, trails, bridges, roads, and infrastructure
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park - $56 million combined to repair trails, roadways, and drainage systems and to increase access for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians
• Rocky Mountain National Park - $43 million combined to improve the Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Moraine Park Campground, and infrastructure throughout the park
• Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest - $11 million to improve the Pineview Reservoir Recreation Complex, including picnic areas, trails, restrooms, and roads
• Gila National Forest - $7 million to improve roadway access to the Gila Wilderness, the Negrito Fire Base, and several recreation sites.

“The hard-working men and women in the oil and natural gas industry support responsible land management policies. From the drill bit to the trailhead, they work to protect the environment and conserve public lands while producing the energy our nation needs. They are proud that their work will continue to sustain the LRF for years to come,” added Simpson.

The Alliance’s letter of support to Chairman Westerman is available online.

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