The Department of the Interior will mark the fifth anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) by waiving entrance fees at all fee-collecting sites it manages, including national parks, on August 4. Other fees, such as those for overnight camping and special area access, will remain in place.
Signed into law on August 4, 2020, the GAOA was a bipartisan effort to fund repairs and improvements for infrastructure across public lands and Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools. The act established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, authorizing up to $1.6 billion per year from fiscal year 2021 through 2025 for these projects.
Since its enactment, the Legacy Restoration Fund has supported 396 projects throughout all states, Washington D.C., and several U.S. territories. These efforts have led to repairs or replacements for more than 3,800 assets such as recreation facilities, water systems, historic structures, and hunting and fishing infrastructure. The Department reports that GAOA-funded projects support an average of 17,000 jobs annually and add about $1.9 billion to the national economy by supporting outdoor recreation and tourism.
Some restoration work has focused on historic sites like Independence Hall in Philadelphia and Boston’s Dorchester Heights Monument in preparation for America’s upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026.
The legislation also provides permanent funding of $900 million each year for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This money is used to expand public access to outdoor spaces, improve recreational opportunities, protect watersheds and wildlife habitats, and preserve ecosystems across the country.
“The Great American Outdoors Act is improving our nation’s most popular and iconic public land sites,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “It has been my honor to witness the important work GAOA has completed over the past five years, and I encourage everyone to visit their nearest public land to celebrate the anniversary.”
More information about GAOA's impact can be found on Interior’s Great American Outdoors Act website.
