DOI - Program Plan
Interior Recovery Act - NPS, Operation of the National Park System - Recovery Act Recovery Plan
Last updated: 2009-05-14Table of Contents
Click on each of the links below to read the part of the Plan relating to each topic.
Objectives
Program Purpose
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided funding $146M for the Operation of the National Park System (ONPS). Activities authorized under the Operation of the National Park System (ONPS) appropriation include deferred maintenance of facilities and trails, and other critical repair and rehabilitation projects.
Public Benefits
**The National Park Service has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The NPS Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about NPS’ Recovery Act program and projects is available at: http://recovery.doi.gov/nps
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Funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) will create jobs and will provide a significant boost to the National Park Service’s (NPS) efforts to address high priority restoration and preservation needs and enhance critical facilities. ARRA projects in the Park Service will also encourage the participation of young adults in their national parks, address deferred maintenance needs, expand the use of renewable energy in our parks and improve the energy efficiency of facilities and equipment.
Measures
The measures have been revised to enrich the performance metrics for Recovery targets. In some instances, targets will not be available until additional baseline data has been collected.
Schedule and Milestones
**The National Park Service has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The NPS Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about NPS’ Recovery Act program and projects is available at: http://recovery.doi.gov/nps
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Projects and Activities
Kinds and Scope of Program Activities
Activities authorized under the Operation of the National Park System (ONPS) appropriation include deferred maintenance of facilities and trails, and other critical repair and rehabilitation projects. The NPS will allocate ONPS funds on the following:
• Deferred Maintenance (DM) ($113.1 million): The objective of the ARRA Deferred Maintenance program is to invest in repair, rehabilitation and maintenance projects that will restore or extend the life of critical facilities in parks across the country.
• Deferred Maintenance Trails (Trails) ($25.6 million): The objective of the ARRA Deferred Maintenance Trails program is to invest in repair, rehabilitation and maintenance projects that will restore or extend the life of popular trails in parks across the country.
• Administration ($7.3 million): The NPS is authorized to spend a maximum of $7.3 million to administer the ARRA ONPS program. Administration includes project management, contracting support and budget and finance services.
Review Process
**The National Park Service has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The NPS Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about NPS’ Recovery Act program and projects is available at: http://recovery.doi.gov/nps
**
The establishment of meaningful and measurable outcomes is an important component of Interior’s Recovery Act reporting. Performance monitoring and oversight efforts are designed to ensure that the Department meets the accountability objectives of the Recovery Act.
These efforts include tracking the progress of key goals. The Department is defining a suite of performance measurements to monitor progress made in accomplishing stated work goals and to ensure financial and procurement practices are executed responsibly. In addition, the Department’s Recovery Act Coordinator is collaborating with senior Departmental officials, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Inspector General to ensure oversight of the program from the first phase of project selection, through implementation and execution. The Coordinator, with the assistance of the Recovery Act Board, will be evaluating processes to ensure that adequate mechanisms are in place and identify and share best practices to promote:
o Maximized use of competitive awards
o Timely and transparent award of dollars
o Timely and appropriate expenditure of dollars
o Verification and timely completion of planned work
o Minimized cost overruns
o Minimized improper payments
Measurement and reporting is a crucial component of Interior’s oversight strategy. The information received will serve as an indicator of progress enabling the Department’s governance entities to manage risk and ensure successful implementation of the Recovery Act. Department-wide, consistent guidance will guide efforts in this regard, including for example, development of a risk management program.
Cost and Performance Plan
**The National Park Service has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The NPS Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about NPS’ Recovery Act program and projects is available at: http://recovery.doi.gov/nps
**
Reporting requirements related to major contract actions and financial status, including obligations and outlays, are being instituted. Periodic reviews of implementation progress at both the Bureau and Departmental levels will identify the need to realign resources to expedite projects, to modify project plans, or to select contingency projects to ensure funds are obligated within the time limitation. The selection of contingency projects will be included as part of regular reporting through recovery.gov.
The Recovery Coordinator will oversee Bureau implementation to ensure projects address the Department’s high priority goals and objectives, while also working to ensure that department-wide performance objectives, including timeliness and cost and risk management are met throughout the process.
The Office of Inspector General will be working closely with the Department from the
start to review and propose effective processes to manage risks, monitor progress, and to improve overall performance and accountability.
As part of routine reporting, the Department is also carefully tracking all projects subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). During the project selection phase the Department identified which projects had already completed NEPA planning, which are in progress, and which ones still need to begin the NEPA process. The Department will track the status of all NEPA compliance activities associated with projects or activities and report quarterly to the Council on Environmental Quality.
Energy Efficiency Spending Plans
As a leader in the field of natural resource conservation, the NPS has a duty to lead in the use of renewable and efficient energy technologies. The NPS will focus close to $91 million on projects that will not only meet critical infrastructure and equipment needs, but will expand the use of renewable and energy efficient technologies across the Service. This includes $66.4 million in construction and $24.7 million in Deferred Maintenance. New construction in the NPS will be LEED certified. LEED certification is the US Green Building Council’s stamp of approval for the responsible design, construction, and operation of green buildings. In some projects, the NPS will replace older, less energy efficient equipment with more energy efficient and technologically advanced equipment. In other projects, the NPS will significantly expand the use of renewable energy by installing photovoltaic systems to power visitor centers, headquarters, buildings, visitor comfort stations, and other facilities. In addition, many cyclic maintenance and repair and rehabilitation projects include energy components such as installation of energy efficient HVAC equipment, more effective insulation, and replacement of electrical lighting systems with solar lighting.
Examples of NPS Recovery Act energy projects include:
• At Zion National Park, NPS will capitalize on the area’s 300 days of full sun by installing a $275,000 photovoltaic system. Park officials estimate that this new energy system will decrease energy costs by 25 percent.
• At Northern Cascades National Park, NPS will use $170,000 of ARRA funds to replace aging building components with Energy Star certified doors, windows, lighting, and utility systems. These replacements will help reduce the park’s energy consumption, including its reliance on backup diesel generators.
Program Plan Award Types
| No Data Available |
Source: Data provided by the Agency through the Office of Management and Budget.
