Congress reauthorizes rural schools funding
Following passage in the U.S. Senate this summer, the U.S. House of Representatives has now added its stamp of approval to an act reauthorizing Secure Rural Schools, a federal funding program that will result in millions of dollars flowing into the coffers of more than 700 counties, including right here in Nye County.
Enacted in 2000, SRS is intended to act as a funding mechanism for forested counties that started to see a reduction in revenue-sharing payments from the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in the 1980s and 1990s as a result of declining timber production. Nye is one such location and SRS funding has become crucial for the county.
“We advocated as a county, I was the representative that went forward for this commission to advocate for SRS and we did get that passed,” Nye County Commissioner Debra Strickland announced during the commission’s Dec. 16 meeting. “It came forward through Congress on Dec. 9.”
The last SRS payment received by Nye County was in fiscal year 2023, with around $1.65 million coming in, Strickland reported. With the reauthorization, Nye County will now receive what it would have in 2024, as well as funds for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
“We’re now going to see fiscal year 2024 arrears will be paid, and 2025 and 2026 have been approved to the tune of almost $6 million,” Strickland explained. “That money is split between the schools and Nye County. Of that [county allotment] 80-85% goes to roads. So, we will realize $2.5 million for roads over the course of these three years and we need it desperately.”
For those who may be asking how funding for roads connected to the SRS program, Strickland noted, “School buses go on roads.”
Strickland is far from the only one celebrating the passage of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, with the National Association of Counties sending out a news release detailing its satisfaction.
“Passage of the SRS Reauthorization Act is a major win for counties and a milestone in advancing county policy priorities,” NACO Executive Director Matthew Chase stated. “This bill provides critical relief to timber-dependent counties that rely on these funds to maintain essential services and transition toward long-term fiscal stability.
“The SRS program provides critical funding for county services like education, transportation and public safety, with payments especially vital for timber counties as they navigate economic transition and work toward long-term stability,” Chase continued. “Counties thank bipartisan champions for SRS in both chambers of Congress for investing in the future of federally forested counties.”
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
