Issue Position: Fighting for County Payments

Issue Position

Issue Position: Fighting for County Payments

Many Oregonians are deeply concerned about the future of timber-dependent communities and the county payments program that helps many of them stay afloat. Senator Wyden shares these concerns and is making reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 -- commonly known as the county payments program -- his top priority for the 110th Congress.

Senator Wyden coauthored the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, which created the county payments program, in 2000. This law provided assistance to forest-dependent rural communities in the wake of declining federal timber sales. The county payments law has proven to be one of the most successful forestry laws of the last 30 years and has been instrumental in securing a stable source of funding for schools, police, roads, libraries and other critical county services. Oregon counties have received $1.6 billion in funding since creation of this program.

Despite the efforts of Senator Wyden and his colleagues in the Oregon congressional delegation, the country payments program expired last year at the end of the 109th Congress. The failure to reauthorize this legislation will have a profound effect on Oregon counties. Schools, libraries and vital services across the state are facing layoffs, cutbacks in service, or the real prospect of closing altogether. Without reauthorization of the program, there is a real question as to whether many rural communities can survive.
In January 2007, Senator Wyden introduced the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007 to extend county payments funding for another seven years. The bill was referred to the Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which Senator Wyden chairs.

On March 1, 2007, Senator Wyden held a hearing at the Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee.

In May 2007, Congress approved a one-year emergency extension of county payments funding. Senator Wyden has proposed that Congress extend the county payments program for an additional four years so that counties have a predictable stream of funding. This proposal was included in the Energy Advancement and Investment Act of 2007. Efforts to reauthorize the law continue.

Source