April 18, 2023 4:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Land Management announced that it has distributed more than $25.6 million in payments to 18 western Oregon counties under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.
A BLM release said the payments are made based on a formula set by Congress using a combination of timber harvest revenue and appropriated funds.
The payments are distributed directly to the counties to support local services including emergency response and education.
The release said 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. The BLM manages these multiple-use forests for sustainable timber harvests. These forests are home to valuable fish and wildlife habitat, world-class recreational opportunities, cultural and historic resources and wild and scenic rivers.
BLM Oregon/Washington State Director Barry Bushue said, “We’re committed to creating healthy, resilient forests, and supporting strong, vibrant communities”. Bushue said the agency’s multiple-use and sustained yield mission provides family-wage jobs and the funds received from timber harvests help support critical services like education and public safety.
In addition to the $25.6 million payment, roughly $2.3 million will also be available for cooperative projects designated under the SRS Act. Authorized by the Western Oregon Resource Advisory Committee, these are projects meant to improve the health of public lands and can include wildfire hazard reduction, stream and watershed restoration, forest road maintenance, road decommissions or obliteration. control of noxious weeds, improvement of fish and wildlife habitat, and opportunities for youth training and employment.
Douglas County will receive just over $7.4 million of the total amount.
A chart showing the funding amounts for each county is posted at www.541radio.com
Total Secure Rural Schools Funding by County:
| 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 |