The U.S. Congress has failed to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act for only the second time since its implementation in 2000.

Thirty Oregon counties received almost $50 million on April 19, in their final Secure Rural Schools (SRS) allocation under the current reauthorization bill. If Congress does not reauthorize the bill before the end of the fiscal year, counties could face a collective reduction of over $25 million in revenues for schools and county road departments by going back to receiving the 1908 rolling seven-year timber harvest average. Detailed impact by county can be found here.

Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Congresswoman Val Hoyle (D-OR) have introduced a bipartisan bill, H.R. 5030, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2023. If the bill passes, SRS would be extended through 2026.

The bill was first introduced in July 2023, referred to the subcommittee on forestry in September, and unfortunately, has not had any action since. County commissioners can access a letter template prepared by NACo here to send to our federal delegation. See contact information below.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) was first established in 1905 for the management of 56 million acres of land nationwide. Five years later, the national forest system tripled in size to a staggering 172 million acres. Today, the USFS, under the control of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is responsible for managing 196 million acres of land – 15 million acres in Oregon alone. Because of the growing amount of federal land, Congress passed the Act of May 23, 1908, a law to support rural counties whose tax base was limited due to the designation of federal land. Revenues were generated through a few different activities – grazing, timber harvest, and special use permits. Counties were then allocated 25% of those revenues on a rolling seven-year average to fund local roads and schools.

Counties relied on these payments for almost a century, but revenues significantly declined. In response, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act in 2000.

This new form of revenue for counties would be calculated by averaging county safety net payments and the three highest annual 25% payments during the 1986-1999 time frame. The revenue could then be allocated in three different buckets, or titles:

  • Title 1 funding would continue to go toward schools and county roads (like the 1908 Act required);
  • Title 2 funding would be allocated toward projects on federal lands (e.g., protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitats); and
  • Title 3 projects would go toward county specific projects (e.g., wildfire protection plans, emergency services training and equipment, search, and rescue, etc.).

Since 2000, Congress has reauthorized SRS (adjusting the 25% time frame to be used) every year except 2016. When SRS is not reauthorized, counties revert to 1908 timber harvest allocations.

County commissioners can reach out to their congressional representatives using this letter template to urge support for SRS reauthorization via H.R. 5030 at the following contact information:

Oregon District 1: Suzanne Bonamici | 202-225-0855
Oregon District 2: Cliff Bentz | 202-225-6730

Oregon District 3: Earl Blumenauer | 202-225-4811
Oregon District 4: Val Hoyle | 202-225-641
Oregon District 5: Lori Cavez-DeRemer | 202-225-5711
Oregon District 6: Andrea Salinas | 202-225-5643

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden | 202-224-5244
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley | 202-224-3753

Contributed by: Legislative Affairs Manager Branden Pursinger