Bill would give more funds to Garfield site

A bill backed by Ohio Sen. Rob Portman would bring more than $700,000 to Mentor’s James A Garfield National Historic Site.

The Restore Our Parks Act aims at addressing the $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog at the National Park Service. Ohio would see nearly $103 million for its eight national parks, including $718,946 for the Garfield site.

“For more than a century, the National Park Service has been inspiring Americans to explore the natural beauty of our country,” Portman said in a statement. “But in order to keep that work going, we need to ensure that they have the right resources to maintain our national parks. This bill will create the Legacy Restoration Fund to provide the National Park Service with funds for deferred maintenance projects.”

Put-in-Bay’s Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial ($47.7 million) and the Ohio Cuyahoga Valley National Park ($45.8 million) will see the brunt of the Ohio funds.

Groups supporting the legislation include National Parks Conservation Association, the Pew Charitable Trusts’ restore America’s parks campaign, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

“America’s national parks include our most treasured landscapes and historic and cultural sites that must be protected and maintained so that future generations have the opportunity to learn about the people and places that have shaped our nation’s legacy,” said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE