Congress is considering funding to repair public lands in New York and nationwide.
Since 2020, the National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund has funded billions in unaddressed maintenance issues. More than $1 billion has gone to several New York public lands. The fund expired in 2025, with more than $35 billion in repairs still needed nationwide.
Michael Oates, president and CEO of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Council, said national parks are important to the local economy.
“There’s over 400,000 visitors that come to that part of the Hudson Valley, supporting close to 200 jobs, and these sites are a critical component to keep people staying in the valley, spending money at restaurants, hotels and shops,” Oates outlined.
Data show New York still needs another $1 billion to clear the rest of its repairs from the federal backlog. Bills in both chambers of Congress to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund have widespread bipartisan support but there are divisions on what specifically the money should be spent on. Federally managed public lands contributed an estimated $56 billion and more than 340,000 jobs to the U.S. economy in 2024.
Rebecca Knuffke, senior U.S. conservation officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts, said the Legacy Restoration Fund creates economic benefits too.
“In 2025, the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund was estimated to support an average of 17,000 jobs and contribute $2 billion to the U.S. economy,” Knuffke noted.
Between 2020 and 2025, the Legacy Restoration Fund helped fund more than 1,000 repairs to recreational and visitor facilities as well as improving disability access for half of all projects.
Edwin is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He’s previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR’s Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.