Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced $15,181,392 for Washington state to support public schools, roads and other municipal services through the Secure Rural Schools program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. The Secure Rural Schools Program provides predictable federal financial assistance to over 700 counties across the U.S. that are home to public, tax-exempt forestland. The program was reauthorized for fiscal years 2021 through 2023 in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Both senators are longtime supporters of the Secure Rural Schools program and Senator Murray cosponsors legislation to reauthorize the program.
“The Secure Rural Schools Program means a great deal to small and rural communities across Washington state who are home to tax-exempt national forestland—meaning they lose out on important sources of revenue. I’m glad to see this funding go out to our state to support rural schools, roads, emergency services, and so much else,” said Senator Murray. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reauthorized Secure Rural Schools and made major investments to help rural communities thrive—I’ll keep working to build on those investments and support rural communities throughout our state.”
“The Secure Rural Schools program is a lifeline for many of Washington’s rural timber counties,” said Senator Cantwell. “This vital program helps strengthen schools in rural communities, repair damaged roads, and ensure local police and fire departments have the resources they need.”
In the years after the Forest Service was established in 1905, the national forest system tripled in size, growing from 56 million in 1905 to 172 million acres in 1908. To compensate counties for potential losses of tax revenue from this early growth, Congress ratified the Act of May 23, 1908. The Act allowed the Forest Service to distribute a portion of agency revenues from timber sales, mineral leases, recreation, grazing and other sources to those states and counties containing national forests and grasslands. Agency revenues from these activities declined in the late 20th century. In response, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 to help stabilize fiscal support for rural county services. In 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reauthorized Secure Rural Schools payments through fiscal year 2023.
Each state’s Secure Rural School payment amount is determined by various factors established in the law, including the number of counties that elect to share in a state’s payment. Payments to states are distributed after the Forest Service collects revenue to accommodate those counties electing to continue participation in revenue sharing rather than the Secure Rural School payment.
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