News Release

Cape Cod National Seashore to receive funding from Great American Outdoors Act for deferred maintenance projects

This building, located at the Highlands Center in Truro, is one of 44 non-historic buildings scheduled for demolition.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: January 4, 2023

Contact: Linzy French, 508-957-0710

WELLFLEET, Mass– Cape Cod National Seashore Acting Superintendent Leslie Reynolds announced that the park has received $8.338 million in project funding through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to remove excess structures and restore natural landscapes throughout the park.

The work to demolish derelict structures is scheduled to begin in 2023 and includes multiple structures in various locations throughout the park. Site preparation work for the project will begin in early 2023, and the majority of the hazardous building material remediation, construction waste recycling, and demolition will be completed between spring 2023 and spring 2024.

“The funding we have received from the Great American Outdoors Act will allow us to proactively manage excess structures that would otherwise be costly to maintain and present persistent challenges,” said Reynolds.

The structures to undergo demolition include 44 non-historic structures that are derelict and dilapidated, posing serious threats to public safety as they contain hazardous building materials or are substantially deteriorated. The structures are exposed, their structural deterioration is accelerating, and some are heavily vandalized, while others are collapsing. Many of the structures were transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) when the former North Truro Air Force Station was decommissioned in the 1990s. The remaining structures were acquired by the NPS as Cape Cod National Seashore was established in the 1960s and 1970s. Two of the structures lie within the Herring River floodplain and their demolition will advance the multi-agency collaborative effort to restore the Herring River estuary.

Funding for the project is from GAOA’s National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund. GAOA is part of a concerted effort to address the extensive maintenance backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, the fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the NPS to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

For project information, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/caco/learn/management/infrastructure-projects.htm