$129 Million saved by NPS to fund 30 additional projects

The National Park Service (NPS) announced on Thursday that favorable pricing on large construction projects as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has resulted in savings of over 20% - totaling approximately $129 million. The Service will use these dollars to fund an additional 30 high priority projects across the country putting additional people to work in ways that will leave a permanent legacy for our national parks through critical facility improvements, infrastructure repairs, and energy efficiency enhancements.

The list of newly funded construction projects as part of ARRA includes:

* Repaving the Smokemont Campground area and the Heintooga Ridge Road in the Smokies

* Resurface the Foothills Parkway East

The NPS is also announcing the replacement of 26 projects with 36 additional projects totaling $9.3 million. Projects are being replaced for various reasons, such as prior completion with non-ARRA funds or because they cannot be completed within the Recovery Act timeframe. The NPS selected the replacement projects from existing contingency lists using established merit-based criteria for expediency of implementation, job creation potential and ability to address high-priority mission needs.

The current list of the NPS ARRA projects can be found by clicking here.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $3 billion to the Department of the Interior. Of that amount, $750 million went to the NPS to fund job-creating investments in critical infrastructure and facilities, trail restoration, abandoned mine remediation, and energy efficiency and renewable energy.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.