$68.3 Million in Deferred Maintenance

Date: February 9, 2016
Contact: John Kelly, 207-288-8703

The National Park Service (NPS) this week released its fiscal year 2015 deferred maintenance statistics for national parks. The $11.9 billion nationwide total was up from the $11.49 billion reported at the end of fiscal year 2014. Acadia's portion of deferred maintenance backlog is approximately $68.3 million.

Deferred maintenance is necessary work on infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, visitor centers, trails, and campgrounds, that has been put off for more than a year. Aging facilities, increasing use of park facilities, and insufficient maintenance funding contribute to the growing backlog. The list of deferred maintenance projects consists of about 50 percent non-transportation and 50 percent transportation assets.

Congressional funding for the NPS in fiscal year 2016 includes an additional $90 million over last year for non-transportation maintenance. Congress also passed a new highway bill that will provide a $28-million increase over last year for transportation projects for a total of $268 million in fiscal year 2016. Funding for transportation-related maintenance and construction will continue to rise by $8 million per year for five years until it reaches $300 million per year in 2020.

"The funds Congress provided for fiscal year 2016 will help us as we move toward the goal of restoring our highest priority non-transportation assets to good condition," said Superintendent Kevin Schneider. "With the passage of the new highway bill, we also look forward to having resources to help address the growing needs of the Island Explorer bus system, which serves our gateway communities, as well as the park."

The $68.3-million deferred maintenance backlog for Acadia includes approximately $29 million for paved roads, $11.4 million for unpaved roads, $10.1 million for trails, $8.8 million for buildings, $1.9 million for waste water systems, $1 million for housing, $858,000 for water systems, $165,000 for campgrounds, and $5 million for all other facilities.

In compliance with federal real property regulations, the NPS annually reports on the condition of its facilities and determines the cost of deferred maintenance. To accomplish this, the NPS regularly performs condition assessments to track what work is needed to properly maintain its facilities. This detailed process enables the NPS to better understand its maintenance needs and prioritize where its resources can best be utilized to meet its mission.

Deferred maintenance figures by type, park, and state are available at go.nps.gov/deferredmaint