Federal Secure Rural Schools 2017 Payments Released to States

This week, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management released the Federal Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination (SRS) payments for 2017 to recipient states.  California counties are anticipated to receive approximately $26 million in Federal SRS payments.  

In 2000, Congress enacted the Federal SRS program to provide funding for rural counties and school districts to replace lost revenue from dwindling forest receipts due to a national decline in timber harvesting.  The Federal SRS program expired in September 2015.  In March 2018, Congress enacted a 2018 federal spending bill, and reauthorized two years of payments for FY 2017 and FY 2018. 

Reauthorization of the Federal SRS program has and will continue to be a high priority for RCRC.  In late February, RCRC leadership and staff met with key Congressional members and staff to discuss funding for the SRS program. 

California counties’ payment details for FY 2017 can be accessed here.  We expect 2018 payments to be made on a more traditional schedule, which will likely be paid in early 2019.