Crook County awarded $1.169 million in SRS funds

Crook County will receive approximately $1.169 million in federal funding as part of the continuation of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS).

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) who authored the legislation in 2000 and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) recently announced that 30 Oregon counties will receive more than $47.7 million in federal payments for schools and road maintenance, youth job training, wildfire prevention, watershed restoration and habitat conservation. These funds are allocated from the U.S. Forest Service, with more expected from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) soon.

“The Secure Rural Schools Act has helped rural communities in Oregon and across the nation to be even better places to live and work,” Wyden said “This direct investment in Oregon counties will help create opportunities for young Oregonians, generate jobs and economic growth, and promote public safety. These are the types of federal investments I fought for more than two decades ago when SRS originally passed, and that I will keep battling to support rural communities throughout the state.”

Merkley added that SRS payments are “critical for our rural communities here in Oregon and across America because these investments provide essential support for our schools, key infrastructure projects, public safety and wildfire mitigation efforts.”

“These USFS investments in rural Oregon counties with federal forest lands will help secure the resources they need to stay safe and strong,” Merkley said, “and I’ll keep fighting to uphold the federal government’s promise to continue this vital program.”

A portion of U.S. Forest Service funds generated through multi-use activities, such as grazing, timber production and special use permits supports rural counties with federal forestland to improve the health of forested communities and can include improving schools and roads, preventing wildfire, stream and watershed restoration, improvement of fish and wildlife habitat and opportunities for youth training and employment.