The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has distributed more than $215 million to 41 states and Puerto Rico for distribution to 742 eligible counties that will be used to support public schools, roads and specific county programs. 

“Counties have a unique and symbiotic relationship to the work we do,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. “This annual revenue sharing program allows us to help our neighbors, the counties that national forests are proud to call home. These dollars help sustain rural communities by supporting teachers, road maintenance, and vital emergency services.”

Since 1908, 25% of Forest Service revenues from timber sales, mineral leases, recreation, grazing and other sources have been shared with states and counties in which national forest lands are located. In the 1980s, Forest Service revenues began to decline, largely as a result of diminished timber sales volume.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 authorized enhanced and gradually declining payments. Payments were most recently reauthorized for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020.

Over the past 10 years, the Forest Service has distributed $2.6 billion through the Secure Rural Schools program.

 

2020 Payments to States
Alabama	1,470,801
Alaska	8,850,761
Arizona	9,178,285
Arkansas	5,265,171
California	26,161,766
Colorado	11,687,765
Florida	2,320,938
Georgia	1,167,454
Idaho	21,393,758
Illinois	223,054
Indiana	209,362
Kentucky	1,344,739
Louisiana	1,465,998
Maine	58,888
Michigan	2,998,601
Minnesota	1,827,562
Mississippi	4,298,083
Missouri	2,860,720
Montana	13,800,949
Nebraska	163,429
Nevada	3,193,061
New Hampshire	430,140
New Mexico	9,308,431
New York	16,982
North Carolina	1,430,817
North Dakota	365
Ohio	204,951
Oklahoma	827,128
Oregon	43,904,429
Pennsylvania	2,888,984
Puerto Rico	137,934
South Carolina	1,385,372
South Dakota	1,210,589
Tennessee	924,355
Texas	1,993,185
Utah	7,920,256
Vermont	246,752
Virginia	1,266,200
Washington	13,987,534
West Virginia	1,514,789
Wisconsin	1,310,043
Wyoming	4,404,766
TOTALS	$215,255,145

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