Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Forest Service Distributes Secure Rural Schools Payments


Washington D.C., -

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has distributed more than $215 million to 41 states and Puerto Rico for distribution to 742 eligible counties that will be used to support public schools, roads and specific county programs. 

“Counties have a unique and symbiotic relationship to the work we do,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. “This annual revenue sharing program allows us to help our neighbors, the counties that national forests are proud to call home. These dollars help sustain rural communities by supporting teachers, road maintenance, and vital emergency services.”

Since 1908, 25% of Forest Service revenues from timber sales, mineral leases, recreation, grazing and other sources have been shared with states and counties in which national forest lands are located. In the 1980s, Forest Service revenues began to decline, largely as a result of diminished timber sales volume.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 authorized enhanced and gradually declining payments. Payments were most recently reauthorized for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020.

Over the past 10 years, the Forest Service has distributed $2.6 billion through the Secure Rural Schools program.

 

2020 Payments to States

Alabama

1,470,801

Alaska

8,850,761

Arizona

9,178,285

Arkansas

5,265,171

California

26,161,766

Colorado

11,687,765

Florida

2,320,938

Georgia

1,167,454

Idaho

21,393,758

Illinois

223,054

Indiana

209,362

Kentucky

1,344,739

Louisiana

1,465,998

Maine

58,888

Michigan

2,998,601

Minnesota

1,827,562

Mississippi

4,298,083

Missouri

2,860,720

Montana

13,800,949

Nebraska

163,429

Nevada

3,193,061

New Hampshire

430,140

New Mexico

9,308,431

New York

16,982

North Carolina

1,430,817

North Dakota

365

Ohio

204,951

Oklahoma

827,128

Oregon

43,904,429

Pennsylvania

2,888,984

Puerto Rico

137,934

South Carolina

1,385,372

South Dakota

1,210,589

Tennessee

924,355

Texas

1,993,185

Utah

7,920,256

Vermont

246,752

Virginia

1,266,200

Washington

13,987,534

West Virginia

1,514,789

Wisconsin

1,310,043

Wyoming

4,404,766

TOTALS

$215,255,145

   

 

 

###

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/newsroom/releases/forest-service-distributes-secure-rural-schools-payments-0