Yosemite National Park receives $35 million in federal funding to renovate the historic Ahwahnee Hotel.
Funding comes from the Great American Outdoors Act, signed into law by former President Donald Trump in 2020.
Flashback:The Great American Outdoors Act was passed by Congress with broad bipartisan support.
- The National Parks Service will receive $1.33 billion annually for five years to maintain national parks across the country.
The big picture: Funds for the Ahwahnee Hotel will go toward earthquake-proofing retrofits, kitchen upgrades, heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements, and the restoration of historic features.
- Without the improvements, the hotel would eventually no longer meet safety standards.
Zoom out: Federal funds for Yosemite National Park will not only be used to modernize the Ahwahnee Hotel, but the park also needs $1.275 billion in deferred maintenance and repairs.
- Another project planned for this year is the replacement of the Tuolumne Meadows wastewater plant, which will cost $81.3 million.
- Other projects that have been budgeted for in recent years include repairing and replacing power lines from Parkline to Highway 140, rehabilitating Glacier Point Road, rehabilitating Tuolumne Meadows Campground, rehabilitating Crane Flat Campground, rehabilitating the Bridalveil Creek Campground water distribution system, and rehabilitating the El Portal Wastewater Treatment Plant and Administrative Camp.
