The RV Industry Association (RVIA) marked Great American Outdoors Day by urging Congress to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund, saying continued investment is needed to address more than $40 billion in deferred maintenance across the nation’s national parks, forests and other public lands.
The association noted that the Legacy Restoration Fund was established through the Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law on Aug. 4, 2020, to finance long-overdue infrastructure repairs at public recreation sites.
The fund operated through Sept. 30, 2025, and now requires congressional reauthorization to continue supporting projects aimed at improving outdoor recreation infrastructure.
According to a News and Insights report of RVIA, deteriorating roads, aging campgrounds, outdated water systems and closed trails remain among the infrastructure challenges affecting public lands.
The association said it has been advocating for reauthorization alongside partners in the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, arguing that sustained investment is necessary to maintain outdoor access.
The association highlighted its advocacy efforts earlier this year, including participation in a legislative fly-in organized with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Business Council in March.
The event included meetings with the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the White House Domestic Policy Council and the National Economic Council.
During those discussions, industry representatives emphasized the need for continued investment in outdoor recreation through legislation such as the Legacy Restoration Fund.
The association also pointed to its most recent Advocacy Day, during which 103 partners and members identified passage of the America the Beautiful Act as a top legislative priority because it would reauthorize the fund.
The Senate version of the legislation, S. 1547, has 68 cosponsors, while the House version, H.R. 9250, has 222 cosponsors. According to the association, both measures have advanced out of committee with bipartisan support.
To illustrate the fund’s impact, the RVIA highlighted several projects completed or underway through Legacy Restoration Fund financing. At Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, rehabilitation of Moraine Park Campground includes upgrades to water, wastewater and electrical systems originally installed in the 1960s, while extending electrical service to about 60 RV campsites.
Other projects cited include the rehabilitation of South Campground at Zion National Park in Utah, featuring new restrooms, upgraded drinking water and sewer systems, improved stormwater drainage and renovated campsites.
At Yosemite National Park in California, a $20 million project modernized the 329-site Tuolumne Meadows Campground with upgraded roads, utilities and accessible campsite improvements. In Missouri, Mark Twain National Forest used funding to add electric RV hookups, a dump station, a shower house and three new camping loops built to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.