BLM Distributes Payments to Counties 2011
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Portland, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that it has issued payment to 18 counties in western Oregon eligible under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act extension, (Public Law 110-343). In Fiscal Year 2010, the amount paid to the Oregon & California (O&C) counties was $ $85,486,760.89.“The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act continues to be a great way to connect Federal agencies to the local communities. By working collaboratively and incorporating local input, the BLM strives to build consensus on natural resource issues,” said BLM Oregon/Washington State Director Ed Shepard.Under the O&C Lands Act of 1937, the BLM paid 50 percent of timber receipts to the general fund of 18 O&C counties in western Oregon. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was originally passed into law in 2000 to provide a predictable payment to counties, in lieu of funds derived from Federal timber harvests. Since 2001, the 18 counties in western Oregon have received over $110 million annually to replace receipts lost due to reduced timber harvest.“No project has been protested, appealed, or litigated. The trust and solid working relationships between the counties, the BLM, and a very diverse set of interests continues to be strengthened each year,” continued Shepard.For 2010, over $7 million was allocated to fund more than 140 projects on BLM lands in western Oregon. Most projects had additional support from their communities, including cooperator funding and in-kind contributions. Projects have provided trail maintenance, culvert replacement or removal, soil improvement, vegetation/density management, wildfire hazard reduction, stream channel enhancement, control of noxious and exotic weeds, and opportunities for youth training and employment. Additional information about the O&C Lands Act of 1937 is available online at: blm.gov/or/rac/ctypayhistory.php
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.