April 19, 2023

Wyden, Merkley: 18 Oregon Counties to Receive Nearly $26 Million in Secure Rural Schools Funds from BLM

Federal resources heading to Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill counties

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today welcomed nearly $26 million in federal investment from the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act for 18 Oregon counties to use for school and road maintenance, youth job training, wildfire prevention, watershed restoration and habitat conservation.

This $25.6 million from the Bureau of Land Management for these 18 counties is in addition to $45.6 million recently announced in Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funds from the U.S. Forest Service for counties statewide from SRS -- the law co-authored in 2000 by Wyden.

“These ongoing federal investments in communities throughout our state help to ensure Oregonians’ quality of life by supporting strong local schools, safe roads and more,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified these resources are heading to these counties, and I’ll keep battling to ensure similar and continuous federal resources for our entire state.”

“Secure Rural Schools payments are crucial investments in our rural communities and help provide vital services, ranging from schools to infrastructure and public safety,” said Merkley. “These funds will help ensure Oregon counties with federal forest lands have the resources they need for basic services, and I’ll keep fighting to uphold the federal government’s promises to rural Oregon.” 

Under the Oregon and California Revested Lands Sustained Yield Management Act of 1937, each county receives a payment based on the amount of Oregon and California Revested Lands in that county.

In addition to the $25.6 million in this round of payments, roughly $2.3 million will also be available for cooperative projects designated under the SRS Act to improve the health of public lands. Those projects can include wildfire hazard reduction, stream and watershed restoration, forest road maintenance, road decommissioning or obliteration, control of noxious weeds, improvement of fish and wildlife habitat, and opportunities for youth training and employment. 

These BLM funds will be distributed as follows in Oregon:

County 

Payment 

Benton 

$       659,989.19  

Clackamas 

$       791,885.37  

Columbia 

$       518,257.14  

Coos 

$    1,609,990.91  

Curry 

$       947,609.38  

Douglas 

$    7,428,865.69  

Jackson 

$    3,674,517.98  

Josephine 

$    3,063,519.75  

Klamath  

$       757,857.27  

Lane 

$    3,740,454.86  

Lincoln 

$         98,810.21  

Linn 

$       732,501.61  

Marion 

$       372,333.71  

Multnomah 

$       158,538.88  

Polk 

$       650,206.80  

Tillamook 

$       176,863.61  

Washington 

$         84,784.33  

Yamhill 

$       169,698.12