Projects

Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (GAOA LRF) projects are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and multiple U.S. territories to address priority maintenance needs at national parks, national wildlife refuges, on other public lands, and at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools. 

GAOA LRF projects fund the repair and maintenance of a wide range of Department of the Interior (Interior) assets including campsites, trails, roads, bridges, parking lots, BIE-funded school facilities, water and wastewater systems, energy systems, communications infrastructure, and more. Project selection for GAOA LRF is based on four key criteria: maximizing the number of citizens served, improving financial health, protecting those we serve, and planning for the future by repairing and modernizing Interior assets. These criteria help to ensure that GAOA LRF projects support Interior’s mission while having the greatest impact possible. Without this historic investment, assets in our national parks, national wildlife refuges, and other public lands could fall into disrepair and risk the safety of our visitors, employees, and volunteers, as well as our natural and cultural resources. This investment also helps prevent assets at BIE-funded schools from falling into disrepair and interrupting student learning and housing.

The benefits of GAOA LRF projects are wide-ranging, from positively impacting visitors’ experiences, local communities, wildlife, and the environment to increasing the quality of education available to students at BIE-funded schools. For more information about project benefits, visit our GAOA LRF Program Impact webpage. 

Check out the Project Spotlights below to explore some GAOA LRF projects! 

Project Spotlights

Wounded Knee District School - Bureau of Indian Education

Wounded Knee District School

Bureau of Indian Education

Wounded Knee District School, affiliated with the Lakota Sioux Nation and located in South Dakota, serves students from kindergarten through 8th grade. This project replaces the existing campus, which consists of six major buildings and three minor support structures, with new, Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver-designed academic facilities that meet the Federal Sustainable Building requirements. This project also replaces major site infrastructure including the 60-year-old water distribution and sewer collection systems, improves site drainage to divert water from around the school building, reconstructs roads, parking lots, and sidewalks, and installs a security fence to increase safety. The new academic facilities on campus will help ensure the success of students and faculty and reduce ongoing operations and maintenance costs.

Punta Gorda Light Station - Bureau of Land Management

Punta Gorda Light Station

Bureau of Land Management

The Punta Gorda Light Station, located within the King Range National Conservation Area in California, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was actively used for maritime navigation from 1912 through 1951. One of the two remaining structures at the site, a reinforced concrete light building, was recently rehabilitated to eliminate safety hazards to the visiting public. Similar rehabilitation work continues on the other structure at the site, a reinforced concrete oil house. This project completed structural repairs, weatherproofing, and replacement of deteriorated features while preserving the building’s historic character. This project also improves other site areas, including improving walking trails and marking the locations of former historic structures.

Maintenance Action Team at Cane River Creole National Historical Park - National Park Service

Maintenance Action Team at Cane River Creole National Historical Park

National Park Service

Cane River Creole National Historical Park’s Oakland and Magnolia Plantations are two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in the United States and tell the story of generations of enslaved and tenant Creole workers. The North Enslaved Cabin/Tenant House, one of two buildings remaining in the housing quarters of Oakland Plantation, was constructed in 1860. Due to years of deterioration, the House recently required rehabilitation. A GAOA LRF-funded Maintenance Action Team completed interior and exterior work on the cabin, including repairing flooring and a fireplace hearth, painting windowsills and jams, re-glazing window glass, and reattaching siding. Improvements to this historic building will enable the park to continue to educate visitors about enslaved and tenant farmer life as well as the history of the Creole people on the plantation.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Seney National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Seney National Wildlife Refuge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan encompasses 95,238 acres of beautiful forests, wetlands, and waters that are home to hundreds of migratory birds and other wildlife. The refuge is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts with plentiful opportunities for fishing, hunting, hiking, and wildlife photography. This project replaces the existing visitor center and office buildings with a co-located, energy-efficient facility that will reduce annual operations and maintenance costs at the refuge. The project also improves the entrance road, parking areas, Pine Ridge Nature Trail, auto tour driving route, and picnic shelter and restrooms. These improvements provide safe and enjoyable visitor experiences and improve ADA accessibility.

Shonto Preparatory School - Bureau of Indian Education

Shonto Preparatory School

Bureau of Indian Education

Shonto Preparatory School is a Navajo Nation school in Arizona which serves nearly 350 students in grades K – 8. This project replaces the school campus buildings which currently consist of seven main buildings and several smaller support structures. The new academic facilities will maintain the highest possible level of water and energy conservation designed using Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver guidelines. The project, one of two GAOA LRF projects at the Shonto School, will also address major site infrastructure, such as replacing the 60-year-old water distribution and sewer systems.

Fort Egbert National Historic Landmark - Bureau of Land Management

Fort Egbert National Historic Landmark

Bureau of Land Management

Fort Egbert in Alaska was established by the U.S. military in 1899 in response to an influx of gold miners and settlers in the area. The fort was largely abandoned in 1911 and now serves as a peaceful setting for visitors to stroll through Alaska’s past. Due to years of degradation, the Fort needed repairs to resolve critical safety concerns and protect and maintain the important historic and archaeological assets. This project removed asbestos and lead-based paint, repainted all the facilities, and repaired the roof of the Mule Barn, the largest building at the fort. This project enables Fort Egbert to continue to provide visitors with a unique historical experience and serve as a major tourist destination for the nearby town of Eagle.  

Mammoth Cave National Park - National Park Service

Mammoth Cave National Park

National Park Service

Mammoth Cave National Park, located in Kentucky, encompasses portions of the world’s longest known cave system and is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life. However, trails between the New Entrance and Frozen Niagara Entrance are deteriorating due to heavy visitation, creating challenging conditions for workers. Additionally, the lack of trail restraints enables visitors to wander off-path, causing further degradation. This project replaces these deteriorating portions of the cave trail routes on approximately 1-mile of cave trail, marking the cave tour route’s first major investment since the 1930s. Work includes constructing the hardened trail surface, installing curbing along the sides of the trails and electrical and communications conduits under the trail, replacing existing handrails with stainless steel handrails, and upgrading steps along route. This project will provide visitors with a safe and enjoyable experience for decades to come while protecting natural and cultural resources within the cave system.

Maintenance Action Team at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Maintenance Action Team at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina was established in 1960 to protect migratory birds and conserve endangered and threatened species. The refuge has recorded 187 species of birds, and is home to a variety of reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Maintenance Action Teams (MAT) consisting of specialized tradespeople corrected multiple deficiencies on the Great Marsh Loop trail system at the refuge. Work included rebuilding the eroded earthen areas and resurfacing the entire length of the trail with crushed concrete to create a solid level surface for visitors.  MAT staff also resurfaced five wooden bridges with new lumber and improved ADA accessibility on the bridges by installing ADA bumpers. 

Shenandoah National Park - National Park Service

Shenandoah National Park

National Park Service

Skyline Drive is a National Historic Landmark that runs 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. The road holds some of the most scenic vistas in the eastern United States, making it a destination to more than 1.4 million visitors every year. However, the pavement on the road needs repairs to prevent Skyline Drive from rapidly deteriorating and destabilizing. This project rehabilitates a large segment of Skyline Drive pavement including 19 overlooks. Project work includes surface treatments, new pavement markings, and shoulder stabilization. These repairs reduce future operations and maintenance costs and enable visitors, whether driving or biking, to enjoy safe travel on the road for years to come.

 

 

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