Ohio’s Republican Senator, Rob Portman, was in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park over the weekend to highlight some of the maintenance that could be addressed by a bill before the Senate.
The “Restore Our Parks” Bill was introduced by Portman last month to address nearly $12 billion in long-delayed maintenance projects in the national parks. In Northeast Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park needs about $45 million for infrastructure improvements to sites such as the Station Road Bridge as well as trails and railroads throughout the system.
Seven other National Parks Service sites in Ohio need an estimated $55 million in deferred maintenance.
If passed, the measure would establish a restoration fund using existing revenue the government receives from on and offshore energy development.
Sen. Portman has bipartisan support for the bill, including Ohio’s other Senator, Democrat Sherrod Brown.
