Secure Rural Schools

In states like Idaho where a large percentage of land is federally-owned, local and state governments lose tax revenues, which are traditionally used to fund education and local government functions.  Historically, the federal government shared timber sale produced receipts with rural counties with federal forests.  However, timber receipts have been inconsistent creating budget uncertainty for rural counties to provide for schools, roads, and other county needs.

That is why in 2000 Congress passed, with my support, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, P.L. 106-393.  This important legislation continued the timber sale sharing arrangement but also provided stable payments for rural schools and counties to ensure that students receive essential educational services and rural communities have access to necessary road services.  The legislation also authorized Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) that have provided local collaboration in approving projects to improve not only federal forestland but also adjacent public and private lands.

In April 2008, I joined with a number of my Senate colleagues to encourage the Senate Appropriations Committee to reauthorize and fully fund a four-year extention of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-393) and fully fund PILT.  Click here to read a copy of the letter.

Legislation:

As the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act expired at the end of September 2006, I am part of a bi-partisan Senate coalition that is working to find a long-term solution on this matter at the earliest opportunity.

I am a co-sponsor of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007, S.779, which aims to provide stability to timber dependent counties and schools through extending the Act. 

I also worked with a number of my colleagues in Congress to secure the inclusion of $425 million in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill to provide for a one-year extension of the payments and reauthorization of the RACs.  The Senate version of the Supplemental also included a bi-partisan agreement to reform the program and provide more certainty to timber dependent counties and schools through establishing a transitional safety-net payment that provides funding for the next five years.  The agreement, which passed as an amendment I cosponsored to the Supplemental, would also fully fund the Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) program with mandatory funds. 

The Supplemental Appropriations Bill has been vetoed, but I am committed to continuing to work to obtain these necessary extensions in other legislation before Congress. 

Floor Statement: 

Presented March 27, 2007 by Senator Mike Crapo.

Mr. President, I rise today in support of the funding provided in the supplemental appropriations legislation for continuation of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, and the five-year reauthorization of the program through the Wyden amendment. Counties and school districts across this country are poised to cut much needed jobs and services without this continuation. Many of us have heard the urgent calls from constituents. The message has been clear – “Please help us.” And, I’m proud to answer that call by supporting this reauthorization. 

For example, Idaho’s Fremont County is one of the counties across the State and nation that have been faced with a dire situation. Fremont County is looking at not only eliminating road and bridge services but also students would be impacted by a loss of nursing services for students, playground and safety equipment at elementary schools, library books, and continuing education instructions. 

Ideally, management of our forested land would generate the revenue necessary to assist with services in cash-strapped communities with large amounts of federally owned land. Unfortunately, that just hasn’t been the case for some time. We must continue to work to remove impediments to forest health and productivity. However, in the meantime, Congress must commit the resources necessary to ensure that rural communities across this country do not have to forgo road maintenance, close libraries, and make cuts to children’s education. Anything less is unacceptable. 

The legislation before us today would respond by fully funding PILT through 2012 reauthorizing Secure Rural Schools through 2011, reauthorizing the valuable Resource Advisory Committees (RACs), and phasing down the payments over time. I urge other Senators to join me in supporting this amendment that fulfills the responsibility to these communities that shoulder the local cost of the public lands we all enjoy. 

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