The Trump administration diverted at least $90 million in National Park Service entry fees to fund Washington, D.C., beautification projects, including a $1.6 million Fourth of July fireworks display and $76 million to repair city fountains, according to internal documents.
This redirection comes as America’s park system labors under a $24 billion backlog of deferred maintenance, reported the Washington Post, representing a troubling departure from how park fee revenue has traditionally been allocated.
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The administration cut Park Service staffing by around 4,000 positions, causing longer visitor lines and closed campgrounds while spending more than $13 million on the White House Lafayette Square Fountain and $5.7 million on the Simón Bolívar Memorial fountain.
The National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group, said funds shouldn’t be diverted to one park, while Interior Department spokesperson Katie Martin defended the spending, stating, “President Trump has made Washington, D.C., Safe and Beautiful again.”
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