The Shoshone National Forest has received $2.5 million in funding for 16 projects this year as money begins to flow from the recent Great American Outdoors Act. The money is the first budget increase the Shoshone has seen in years and will be used to fix infrastructure and deferred maintenance, including in the forest’s North Zone.

The dollars will come from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, which Congress created in 2020 through the act. Funded through energy development revenues for oil, gas, coal or renewable energy development on federal lands and waters, up to $9.5 billion will be used for deferred maintenance projects on federal and Native American lands over the next five years.

While Shoshone National Forest funding hasn’t actually gone down, there hasn’t been an increase in years, said Kristie Salzmann, public affairs officer for the forest.

“Our budget hasn’t gone down in recreation. It hasn’t over the last 10 years,” Salzmann said, adding, “but things get more expensive. So it’s been harder to get some things done.”

The Great American Outdoors Act was specifically formed to attack the backlog of work deferred due to budget constraints. The funding will assist in facilitating past needs, Salzmann said. “It will help pay for things that we’re trying to get done on our public lands, to make them better for the public to access.”

One project in the northern unit is the bathrooms at the Big Game Campground on the North Fork. Those using the facilities will be happy to see the much needed replacements. It will also rehabilitate the Fishhawk Trail — one of the more popular trails on the North Fork — which was damaged in a fire a few years ago.

“We were thrilled to get the funding for these 16 projects,” Salzmann said. “It helps us also put a few more employees in place, specifically to work on these projects.”

Work will begin in the coming months, as soon as the threat of snow in the region has diminished.

Former President Donald Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act, creating the funds for improvements. The fund doesn’t receive any tax revenue, but is instead funded by energy development revenues on federal lands and waters.

For fiscal years 2021 through 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior calculates the total of energy development miscellaneous receipts for the previous fiscal year. The U.S. Treasury then transfers up to 50% of that total to the fund, capped at $1.9 billion; this year, the fund received the maximum amount. 

Separately, the act also made funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent.

The late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., sponsored the first version of the bill in April of 2019. It was repackaged by Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., passed Congress with significant bipartisan support and eventually signed into law by Trump on Aug. 4. 

Wyoming’s congressional delegates voted against the act, citing worries of a federal land grab and deficit concerns.

“Too often the federal government has proven to be a poor steward of our lands, and this proposal would only further empower D.C., while adding billions to our out-of-control deficit,” U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said in August.

The money from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund must be used in specified systems administered by agencies, including the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Indian Education. 

Officials at Yellowstone National Park report receiving funding from the Great American Outdoors Act for rehabilitating the Fort Yellowstone Historic District, improving employee housing, replacing the Lewis River Bridge, rehabilitating the Laurel dormitory, and rehabilitating a 22-mile section of the Grand Loop Road between Old Faithful and West Thumb. The actual costs or timelines of these projects is unknown until contracts are awarded.

Officials at the Bighorn National Recreation Area reported Wednesday they received no additional funding for projects.