As the celebration of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence approached, National Park Service employees were met with an unexpected directive from Washington. Maintenance projects across the nation, initially approved for this year, were to be reclassified as low priority. Projects favored by the White House took precedence, including repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The documents from the Associated Press and conversations with park service and Interior Department officials revealed that repairs related to President Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 initiative were designated as White House priorities. Many of these projects advanced, although there were issues with the reflecting pool repairs. Meanwhile, nearly 1,500 projects on the low priority list are likely to remain unaddressed, exacerbating a backlog that has doubled to over $24 billion in the past decade due to increasing visitor numbers.
The shelved projects cover over 200 sites, involving tasks from roof repairs at Golden Gate National Recreation Area to computer upgrades at Katmai National Park in Alaska. Essential purchases like toilet paper at Yellowstone National Park are also on hold. With the fiscal year ending September 30, their future remains uncertain without park staff finding alternative solutions. Park service employees were instructed to anticipate no contracting for low priority projects.
An Interior Department spokesperson stated that entries on the low priority list had been ‘mis-prioritized’ and corrected, but specifics on which projects were affected and expenditures were withheld. Congress has pushed to resolve the maintenance backlog, including the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which allocated $6.5 billion through 2025 for repairs.
According to documents and officials, the park service headquarters in Washington was responsible for the priority designations, now pursuing at least $80 million in White House priorities. This includes repair initiatives like the $16 million intended to enhance the Reflecting Pool, which faced challenges such as sealant issues and algae growth. Not all administration-backed projects proceeded; for instance, a $70 million turf maintenance line item was canceled.
The park service’s mission under Trump faced tests, with permanent staff reduced by under Trump. Employees were assigned to revise exhibits perceived as ideological and demolish parts of the White House for new infrastructure. Trump also altered the landscape by reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah.
Staffing cuts compounded difficulties in meeting contract demands for Freedom 250, affecting delivery. From having 275 contracting officers, parks saw a consolidation within the Interior Department, with a drop of over 20% in contracting workforce. About $140 million has been spent or obligated by the park service in Washington for various projects.
The Interior department is looking at alternative revenue sources such as endowments and park pass sales to support maintenance needs. Park pass sales showed an increase of over $2 million, reaching $16.7 million in the first quarter of 2026 compared to a year prior.