Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund Newsroom

175 years after the establishment of Vancouver Barracks, the National Park Service (NPS) is ensuring a new chapter of public service for the first U.S. Army post in the Pacific Northwest. Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund (GAOA LRF), the NPS has completed one of the most significant projects in this effort, rehabilitation of Building 993, one of the historic double infantry barracks lining the Parade Ground.

The Great America Outdoors Act (GAOA) has provided unprecedented funding to the National Park Service (NPS), to tackle big challenges like aging infrastructure and climate change. And guess what? Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is at the heart of the solutions of protecting our national parks and preserving them for future generations.

The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund has recently financed and will begin exterior rehabilitation and restoration work at the historic M’Clintock House at Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Beginning on November 4, 2024, this project will correct deteriorated exterior elements to include repairs to the windows and trim, doors and trim, replacing missing or damaged wood clapboard siding, and to the exterior wood basement bulkhead.

Funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund (GAOA LRF), Virgin Islands National Park, in partnership with the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC), is in the process of stabilizing the Cinnamon Bay Danish Warehouse ruins. Thought to have been constructed in the late 17th century, it sustained significant damage during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Yesterday, National Park Service Director Chuck Sams joined a celebration in Colonial National Historical Park marking the completion of a $24 million shoreline restoration project supported by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. The project, funded with approximately $12 million from GAOA and $12 million from the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), reinforced the infrastructure of the scenic road and extended its life expectancy.

In November, Colonial National Historical Park will move into a second phase of repairs to the historic Colonial Parkway. Made possible with approximately $123 million in funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund, the full project is expected to be completed by June 2026.

Recently, Fort Larned National Historic Site reduced the park’s deferred maintenance backlog using funding available to National Park Service units through the Great American Outdoor Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. These funds supported the replacement of aging roof surfaces, tuck pointing of historic stone masonry, window and door repairs, and the painting of wood features.

Recognizing both the opportunities presented by GAOA and the critical skills gap in the trades, the Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands (PPFL) Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) developed a specialized Individual Placement (IP) program, a shining example of innovative workforce development. This program showcases how GAOA funding can effectively support smaller to medium-sized parks and communities.

Thanks to funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund, construction work on significant improvements to the Chisos Basin area of the park is expected to begin May 1, 2025 and continue for approximately two years.

The National Park Service (NPS) is set to restore scenic vistas along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Supported by the Great American Outdoors Act, the project will rehabilitate 15 historic views between North Donaldson Overlook and Spout Run Parkway, allowing visitors to enjoy the iconic scenery of the route once again.