House Natural Resources Committee holds Grand Teton hearing on reauthorizing Great American Outdoors Act

The House Natural Resources Committee convened an oversight field hearing at Grand Teton National Park to examine reauthorizing the Great American Outdoors Act and the law’s Legacy Restoration Fund, focusing on deferred maintenance, park staffing and local economic impacts.

The hearing opened with Chairman Bruce Westerman, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, saying it was “an honor to be here today beneath the soaring Grand Tetons to hold this hearing on a very important subject.” Representative Harriet Hageman, host and a Wyoming member of the committee, and Ranking Member designee Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez also gave opening remarks that framed the session around preparing parks for rising visitation and future generations.

Why it matters: Witnesses said continuing the Legacy Restoration Fund would allow the National Park Service and other land agencies to complete large, costly rehabilitation projects and to leverage private and local funds. They told the committee that investment in parks supports gateway economies and jobs while chronic understaffing and limits on project delivery capacity threaten progress made since the law’s 2020–21 implementation.

Superintendent Chip Jenkins of Grand Teton National Park told the panel that the Great American Outdoors Act “has been transformative” for the park and described projects funded…