Ohio Media Highlights How Portman’s Bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act Will Help National Park Sites Across Ohio
A number of Ohio media outlets are highlighting how Senator Portman’s bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act will help address unmet deferred maintenance needs at Ohio’s national park sites. President Trump recently signed Portman’s bipartisan and historic legislation into law which will help rebuild our national parks infrastructure by addressing the more than $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service (NPS) while supporting more than 100,000 jobs over the next five years. The new law would help tackle the more than $100 million maintenance backlog at Ohio’s eight national park sites. Portman introduced the Restore Our Parks Act with U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Angus King (I-ME) and has pushed for this bipartisan legislation to become law over the last several years.
Excerpts of the coverage can be found below.
Highland County Press: Ohio could receive millions to address maintenance projects at national parks in the state
“Ohio could receive millions of dollars in federal funding to tackle maintenance at national parks in the state. Last week, President Donald Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law. The legislation includes the Restore Our Parks Act, which U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, sponsored, a measure that allocates roughly $10 billion to address a backlog of maintenance projects at national parks nationwide… ‘The Restore Our Parks Act will help rebuild our national park infrastructure by helping to address the more than $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects throughout our park system while supporting more than 100,000 jobs over the next five years,’ Portman added. ‘Now that this important legislation is law, Ohio’s national parks can start to address the more than $100 million in critical infrastructure improvements necessary across our eight national parks.”
Toledo Blade: Preserve Our Parks
“The national parks are more than scenic vistas and wildlife, they’re important engines for local economies, including the local economy of northwest Ohio. And this means it is vital for the United States to take care of the parks and their attractions, including sites like the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial in Put-in-Bay. Unfortunately, the federal government has not kept up with that vital work, and now the bill for deferred maintenance at the parks and other federal facilities has reached about $20 billion. That’s where the Restore our Parks Act comes in... The bill would devote about $114 million for deferred maintenance at Put-in-Bay and seven other national park sites in Ohio alone. Put-in-Bay is expected to get about $48 million in repair funding.”
Chillicothe Gazette: Restore Our Parks Act signed into law
“U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced Tuesday that President Trump signed his bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act, landmark legislation he has pushed for years to protect and preserve America’s national parks into law…Portman's bill will establish the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating half of the existing unobligated revenues the government receives from on and offshore energy development — up to $1.3 billion per year for the next five years… Locally, one priority project that may be eligible for federal funding is Hopewell Culture National Historic Park, which is in need of $3,518,991 in deferred maintenance costs.”
Sandusky Register: Law boosts funding for federal parks
“U.S. Sen. Rob Portman’s years-long effort to provide funding for U.S. parks, such as the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, has finally become law…The new law provides each year from fiscal years 2021 through 2025, up to $1.9 billion of royalties paid to the federal government for petroleum production will go into a fund for deferred maintenance projects for the National Park Service…The Perry Memorial, however, has a total of $46 million of deferred maintenance needs…The senator has visited South Bass Island and said he hopes his bill will help fund needed construction at the Perry Memorial.”
Times Reporter: Portman visits First Ladies’ National Historic Site in Canton
“U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) on Tuesday visited the First Ladies’ National Historic Site to see firsthand how his bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act will help address the more than $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service. The First Ladies’ National Historic Site has nearly $1 million in unmet maintenance needs – including building renovations to the Saxton House and First Ladies’ Library Education and Research Center.”
Akron Beacon Journal op-ed by Deb Yandala: CVNP would benefit from passage of Great American Outdoors Act
“Cuyahoga Valley National Park has over $51 million dollars in unmet maintenance needs. Our park stands to benefit from this act with funding for critical projects and support for jobs in our community. We commend and thank Ohio Sen. Rob Portman for his years of leadership in supporting public lands. His Restore Our Parks Act is embedded in the Great American Outdoors Act and he is nationally recognized as a champion of national parks.”
Canton Repository: Sen. Rob Portman tours First Ladies’ Library after helping obtain federal funding
“U.S. Sen. Rob Portman took his first tour of the First Ladies National Historic Site on Monday… First Ladies is expected to receive just under $1 million for deferred maintenance projects under Portman’s Restore Our Parks Act, said Highfield… First Ladies is among eight National Park sites in Ohio to be allocated $116 million from the legislation, Portman’s office said. Portman also visited one of the other ones, the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, earlier Monday.”
News-Herald: Restore Our Parks Act targets deferred maintenance on properties such as James A. Garfield National Historic Site
“U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, visited the James A. Garfield National Historic Site Aug. 10 to see how the bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act may help address a more than $12 billion backlog in maintenance projects within the National Park Service. The site, at 8095 Mentor Ave., Mentor, has $1.2 million in unmet maintenance needs, including building renovations and trail, road and infrastructure improvements, said site Manager Todd Arrington.”
Dayton Business Journal: Great American Outdoors Act to provide funding for Dayton aviation heritage park, buffalo soldiers monument
“A new bill that recently passed in U.S. Congress will provide funding for millions of dollars in deferred maintenance at multiple parks in the Miami Valley…Supporters of the bill, including U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton), say the legislation will support more than 100,000 jobs over the next five years by rebuilding critical park infrastructure to help address the more than $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service. At least two Dayton-area sites stand to benefit from the bill. These include the Dayton Aviation National Historical Park in west Dayton and the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Greene County. Specifically, the bill will provide funding to address $1.4 million in deferred maintenance at the Dayton park, including brickwork and replacing a roof/overhang, HVAC system, and exhibits in the interpretive center that are said to be outdated and in need of repair. At the Greene County site, there is $2.4 million in deferred maintenance that includes a new parking lot, trail work and exterior repairs. Mackensie Wittmer, executive director of the National Aviation Heritage Alliance, called the bill "one of the most significant pieces of legislation in the history of the National Park Service.’”
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