On November 7, the Environmental News Service posted an article highlighting the fact that the recently passed $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial system will also bring more money to local governments that host federal public lands — including national wildlife refuges. Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne will be announcing and distributing this money to the states around the third week of November.

According to ENS:

Part of the $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial system rushed into law in October will go to local governments to compensate for taxes that could not be levied on federal lands in their jurisdictions.

The local governments provide services such as transportation, firefighting and emergency response that support federal lands, but have not received full compensation from the federal government for these services.

More than $1.5 billion will be distributed through 2012 to local governments that qualify for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes, PILT, program, says Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne.

“I am extremely pleased that these communities, which provide important assistance in supporting federal lands, will be receiving their full compensation,” Kempthorne said. “We appreciate their help and recognize that these local governments provide essential services to communities across the country.

PILT money goes to local governments (usually counties) that contain lands which include the National Forest and National Park Systems, National Wildlife Refuge System, lands belonging to the Bureau of Land Management, and those affected by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation water resource development projects.

In June, $228.5 million in PILT payments were given to the states (see USFWS press release), and now an additional $138.7 million in supplemental payments for fiscal year 2008 will be distributed to about 1,850 county and other local governments.

And ENS states that additional money is on the way:

The law also authorized full PILT payments through fiscal year 2012. Under this new authorization, payments are expected to increase annually as the entitlement levels are adjusted for inflation…

Kempthorne says that since 1994, payments have not matched the full entitlement level because funding levels were subject to Congressional appropriation.

From 1995 through 2008, payments to local jurisdictions funded from 41 to 77 percent of the entitlement levels.

In this time when many state governments are struggling with a weakening economy, this revenue will greatly aid in shoring up local budgets.

Tags:
wildlife, National Wildlife Refuge System, Payments in Lieu of Taxes, financial bailout