Record PILT payments coming to counties
Author
Upcoming Events
Related News
Key Takeaways
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced June 27 that over $552.8 million will be distributed to counties in 2018 through the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.
This represents the largest total PILT disbursement to date since the program was first enacted in 1976.
Learn More
The PILT program provides payments to counties and other local governments to offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of substantial federal land acreage within their jurisdictions.
Because local governments are unable to tax the property values or products derived from federal lands, PILT payments are necessary to support essential local government services — those mandated by law — such as education, emergency services, transportation infrastructure, law enforcement and health care.
More than 1,900 counties in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Island receive PILT payments.
Since PILT payments began over 40 years ago, the Department of Interior has invested about $8.5 billion dollars through the PILT program in counties across the country.
As Secretary Zinke stated in his announcement, “These investments are one of the ways the federal government is fulfilling its role of being a good land manager and good neighbor to local communities.”
“PILT investments often serve as critical support for local communities as they juggle planning and paying for basic services, such as public safety, fire-fighting, social services, and transportation,” he said.
NACo applauds Congress and the administration for this record investment in the PILT program and for their support of America’s public lands counties.
Attachments
Related News
Senate Agriculture Committee passes Farm Bill
On September 16, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held a markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026, the Senate's version of the 2026 Farm Bill.
U.S. Forest Service begins revision process for regulations on road and trail closure in National Forests
On August 21, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced it is moving forward with plans to revise the 2005 Travel Management Rule, which regulates how USFS plans which roads and trails are open to the public. Revising the Travel Management Rule is an important step that will increase public access to National Forests and help connect forest communities. As part of the rulemaking process, USFS is seeking public comment on its proposed revisions. Counties have until September 23 to submit comments on the agency’s initial action.
U.S. Forest Service seeks comment on proposal to rescind 2001 Roadless Rule in National Forests
Roadless Rule
On August 20, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. The rule prohibits road construction, reconstruction and most timber management on almost 45 million acres of National Forest land, and its repeal would give federal forest managers significant flexibility to manage forests in accordance with local need.