USFS begins disbursement of revenue sharing payments amid lapse in SRS funding
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Zeke Lee
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Key Takeaways
On April 11, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service began distributing funds to support public schools and roads in counties containing national forest lands. These funds are being distributed in place of Secure Rural Schools (SRS) monies due to the lapse in SRS reauthorization.
The Forest Service is disbursing over $71 million dollars across 745 eligible counties in 41 states. Specific payment amounts can be found here. Under the 1908 Act, 25% of gross receipts generated on Forest Service lands over each fiscal year must be distributed to states and counties that contain the land. These payments are directed towards public schools and roads.
The lapse in SRS program reauthorization has triggered the default distribution of these significantly reduced funds to all eligible counties, regardless of whether they would have chosen this option. Counties are experiencing an average 80% reduction in funding compared to what they would receive under a reauthorized SRS program. This financial strain currently impacting counties highlights the urgent need for Congress to swiftly reauthorize the SRS program.
To urge the reauthorization of the SRS program, reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 1338/S.356). If your members of Congress are already cosponsoring this critical legislation, urge them to contact the offices of Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Senate Majority Leader John Thune and convey the urgency of reauthorizing the SRS program.
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