Benefits of the GAOA LRF Program

Through the Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (GAOA LRF), the U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) is investing in our public lands so they can be cherished and enjoyed for many years to come. GAOA LRF helps to maintain and restore assets managed by Interior at recreational areas, national refuges, national parks, and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools. GAOA LRF funding also helps to accommodate the increased visitation our national parks and public lands have seen in recent years. The impacts of GAOA LRF are far-reaching with many beneficiaries, such as local communities, BIE-funded schools and staff, the natural environment, visitors, volunteers, and staff. 

Check out the Program Impact Fact Sheet to learn more about the GAOA LRF program’s impact through the first three years of funding. 

Statistics below reflect funded projects from fiscal years 2021-2023.

Benefits for Visitors

• Helps ensure our beautiful public lands stay open and safe for the public’s enjoyment by repairing and upgrading buildings, campsites, trails, public roads, and other visitor infrastructure
• Helps create access to our public lands by funding projects that improve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility
• Protects and preserves the historical, natural, recreational, and educational features of our public lands 
• Improves access to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting activities on our public lands for many years to come
• Supports environmental education opportunities for children and teens

Benefits for Local Communities

• Supports economic growth by contributing an average of 17,000 jobs to the economy per year
• Estimated to generate an average of $1.8 billion per year for the U.S. economy
• Invests in local economies and sustainably increases outdoor recreational tourism
• Increases public safety and improves traffic flow by eliminating hazardous pedestrian and vehicle interactions and fixing weathered or failing roads, bridges, and dams
• Repairs aging telecommunication systems, ensuring the ability of fire and law enforcement to respond to emergencies in and around public lands

Benefits for BIE-funded Schools and Staff

• Helps ensure BIE-funded schools are operational and safe
• Creates a positive educational experience for students and faculty by providing safe and modern facilities that are conducive to learning

Benefits for Underserved Communities

• Supports investment in underserved communities by ensuring people across the country have access to outdoor recreation on our public lands
• Increases access to green spaces for low-income, urban families, which can improve overall health outcomes 

Benefits for the Climate

• Supports climate resiliency by managing erosion, ensuring shoreline stability, reducing flooding, and preventing wildfires
• Advances clean energy development by utilizing solar power and reduces the energy footprint of our public lands by promoting energy efficiency and sustainable construction
• Adapts existing buildings and infrastructure to be more sustainable and climate resilient, so that assets can withstand future threats like wildfire and storm surges

Benefits for Wildlife and the Natural Environment

• Supports wildlife refuges, ensuring a safe habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife, plants, birds, and fish 
• Promotes ecosystem health by ensuring habitat rehabilitation and watershed protection
• Nurtures biodiversity by rehabilitating fish ladders and wildlife corridors
• Conserves landscapes that soak up floodwaters, recharge aquifers, and provide drinking water

Benefits for Our Employees and Volunteers

• Helps ensure the safety of our many employees and volunteers on our public lands, national parks, and wildlife refuges by maintaining structural integrity of buildings and ensuring safe working conditions 
• Revitalizes housing and administrative structures to provide basic functionality such as heating and to address health and safety concerns such as asbestos and lead paint removal
• Provides workforce training for various groups, including Youth Corps and Maintenance Action Teams
• Addresses deferred maintenance and repair needs by improving and enhancing public safety, student and workforce safety, and response suppression capabilities

Click an icon below to explore a bureau GAOA LRF website.