The U.S. Forest Service has announced a $248 million distribution from the Secure Rural Schools program for counties across the nation, including over $14 million for Montana. Western states, notably Montana, receive significant funding due to extensive federal land. The state’s congressional leaders facilitated the bill’s reauthorization through Congress late last year.
In 2023, Congress let the program lapse. Rep. Ryan Zinke of western Montana emphasized, “Secure Rural Schools is a commitment to communities like ours that live with the reality of federal land ownership every day.” He highlighted the federal responsibility to support local infrastructure and services, noting, “This funding provides needed relief and restores a measure of certainty.”
Since 2000, Secure Rural Schools has supported rural counties with tax-exempt federal forest land. The U.S. Forest Service uses a funding formula, sharing 25% of revenue from federal land based on economic activity and timber harvests, aiding schools, roads, and local programs. A funding bill co-sponsored by Montana Republican Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy passed the Senate in June, but the House delayed a vote until December. The bill includes retroactive payments for 2024 and extends the program to 2026.
In Montana, northwest counties, once timber industry hubs, receive the most funding. Lincoln County is set to receive $3.6 million, Sanders County $1.4 million, and Flathead County just under $1 million.
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