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

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is excited to announce that the construction phase of the Texas White House Rehabilitation Project, funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) and Repair and Rehabilitation funds, will begin January 2, 2024. Visitors can continue to walk the grounds of the Texas White House Complex daily until park closing at 5:00 pm on December 31, 2023 at which time the Complex will close to the public for the duration of the project. Affected structures include the Texas White House, Hangar Visitor Center, and Lockheed JetStar. The closure will facilitate the work and ensure the safety of LBJ Ranch visitors.

Funding for the project comes from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The GAOA was signed into law in 2020, providing major investments to address deferred maintenance needs, increase recreational access to public lands, and conserve our lands and waters.

Located in the heart of Cape Lookout National Seashore's Cape Village Historic District, the Guthrie-Ogilvie House is an important part of the park's historic landscape. The park recently made substantial repairs to the historic house as part of a $200,000 rehabilitation project funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. 

This project is being funded in part by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) passed by Congress in 2020 as part of a concerted effort to address the large maintenance backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA's Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

“Projects like Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor Center illustrate how the Great American Outdoors Act is increasing outdoor recreation opportunities and enhancing people’s experiences in nature," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams. “It is exciting to see this innovation in action, where sustainable buildings in harmony with the environment ensure all people have the chance to connect with the natural world."

Secretary Haaland traveled to Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to tour various GAOA-funded projects. The refuge received $13.5 million in GAOA funding to address more than 30 deferred maintenance backlogged projects, including improving river access and employee housing, creating a safer and more ecologically friendly access for visitors, and installing new culverts to improve fish passage in the Kenai Peninsula.

The National Parks of Boston began the more than $30 million restoration of Dorchester Heights Monument on September 15. Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), rehabilitation work will be complete by March 17, 2026, Evacuation Day, during the nation’s 250th birthday year. The Monument and its surrounding area remain closed to the public during the restoration.

Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz toured Great Smoky Mountains National Park to see how investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) are making historic investments.

On her first visit to the Midwest Region, Director Williams stopped by Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the only international wildlife refuge in North America. Located along the lower Detroit River and western shoreline of Lake Erie - just 20 miles south of Detroit, Mich., and 50 miles north of Toledo, Ohio, the refuge provided a backdrop for Director Williams to learn about the latest from the Service’s Fish and Aquatic Conservation program’s work with many partners to conserve lake sturgeon. Her visit also highlighted the results of Great American Outdoors Act funding to increase access to public lands and waters in the greater Detroit metropolitan area. 

Blue Ridge Parkway, which is managed by the National Park Service, has also received approximately $200 million from the Great American Outdoors Act for severely needed repair work on over 100 miles of scenic motor road.