At least $60 million in National Park Service entrance fee money is reportedly being used to help fund beautification projects in Washington, D.C., according to analyses cited by The New York Times and The Hill.
The spending is tied to President Donald Trump’s broader effort to restore and improve public spaces in the nation’s capital ahead of the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026. The White House has described the work as part of a larger push for “restoration, infrastructure, and beautification projects” across Washington, D.C.
According to the reports, federal contracting data shows that money collected through National Park Service recreation fees is being used for several of those projects, including ornamental fountains and work near major landmarks.
Park Fee Money Reportedly Going Toward D.C. Projects
The New York Times reported that roughly $60 million in national park visitor fees is being used to fund work on nine ornamental fountains in Washington, D.C.
Another $7 million in entrance fee money is reportedly going toward the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project.
The funding comes from fees collected under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, a 2004 law that allows agencies such as the National Park Service to collect recreation fees and use that money for visitor-related improvements.
Under the National Park Service’s general fee structure, at least 80% of entrance fee money stays at the park where it was collected. The remaining 20% can be used for other National Park Service sites, including parks that do not collect entrance fees or collect much less fee revenue.
That is where the Washington, D.C. projects have drawn attention. The National Mall and Memorial Parks do not operate like major fee-collecting parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, or Grand Canyon, yet the reports say fee money from across the park system is helping fund projects in the capital.
Reflecting Pool Project Has Also Drawn Scrutiny
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project has already faced questions over its cost.
The New York Times previously reported that a no-bid contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings to paint the pool blue was initially described as a $1.8 million project. The total cost later rose to $13.1 million, according to the outlet.
The reports say $7 million in National Park Service entrance fee money is connected to that project.
Interior Defends the Spending
The Department of the Interior has defended the work, saying the projects address long-neglected maintenance needs in Washington, D.C.
A department spokesperson told The Hill that residents and visitors are experiencing working fountains across the district “for the first time in decades” and credited President Trump for the effort.
The spokesperson also said the department has multiple funding sources for deferred maintenance and that the National Park Service is working on projects around the country, not only in Washington, D.C.
Critics Say Other Parks Have More Pressing Needs
The use of park fee money for D.C. beautification projects has drawn criticism from conservation advocates.
Aaron Weiss, executive director of the Center for Western Priorities, told The New York Times that parks and public lands have been underfunded for decades and that there are urgent projects across the country that need funding.
His criticism centers on the argument that visitor fees paid at national parks should be used for higher-priority park needs, not projects near the White House or other areas of Washington, D.C.
Fee Debate Comes as Nonresident Park Costs Rise
The reports come after the Department of the Interior announced higher national park access costs for nonresidents beginning in 2026.
Under that policy, U.S. residents continue to pay $80 for an annual America the Beautiful pass. Nonresidents now pay $250 for the annual pass. Nonresidents without an annual pass also face a $100 per-person fee at 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to standard entrance fees.
For travelers, including RVers who visit multiple national parks in a year, the fee changes make the use of park revenue a more visible issue.
Trump Says D.C. Is “Looking Beautiful”
Trump has repeatedly promoted his effort to improve Washington, D.C.
In March 2025, he signed an executive order calling for the capital to be made “safe and beautiful.” The order called for a coordinated beautification plan for federal and local facilities, monuments, parks, roadways, and other public areas in and around the district.
The White House also tied the work to the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said, “I love construction. It’s very exciting.” He also said, “D.C. is looking beautiful. The fountains are almost all open.”
For supporters, the projects are overdue improvements to some of the country’s most visible public spaces. For critics, the issue is not only the work itself, but the use of national park entrance fee money at a time when many parks around the country face maintenance backlogs, staffing concerns, and growing visitor pressure.
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