Roads washed out. Boat ramps crumbling. Visitor centers closed. All are happening when national parks go without maintenance for too long.

The Legacy Restoration Fund was created in 2020 to address the backlog, one of the largest conservation investments in U.S. history. Over five years, it put more than $9 billion toward roads, trails, water systems and visitor centers across the country. But the fund expired last year and the backlog is now more than $35 billion, including Florida parks facing $537 million in repair needs. The Everglades has Florida's largest backlog at $156 million.

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Jason Schratwieser, president of the International Game Fish Association, drives two hours from Fort Lauderdale to fish in the Everglades. He said the trips depend on infrastructure most people never think about.

"Doesn't matter if you're an avid bird watcher or just an outdoor enthusiast, or in my case, an angler. Having access to these areas with roads and boat ramps and marinas and things like that is really important to be able to really experience these wonderful natural resources," Schratwieser explained.

The fund expired because its five-year authorization simply ran out and Congress had not passed a renewal before the deadline. Reauthorization bills in the House and Senate have advanced through committee with strong bipartisan support, with more than 247 cosponsors in the House and 70% of the Senate. and are awaiting floor votes. The White House has also called for reauthorization in its budget request, though it simultaneously proposed steep cuts to the Park Service's overall budget.

Rebecca Knuffke, senior U.S. conservation officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts, said either of the two bipartisan bills in Congress would reauthorize the fund.

"As the nation celebrates our 250th anniversary, 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 emphasized.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation generated $1.3 trillion in economic output and 5.2 million jobs in 2024.