The Harney County Court convened on Thursday, Jan. 23, to sign letters urging Senator’s Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and Representative Cliff Bentz to secure funding for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. 

This crucial program provides essential funding to rural communities for critical services such as infrastructure, education, conservation projects, and wildfire prevention. The SRS payments have historically contributed millions of dollars to Oregon counties, helping local governments remain operational and provide vital services to their citizens. 

Last year, Harney County received $1.4 million, allowing the Road Department and rural schools to provide needed services. These funds are imperative for the continuation of essential government services. We encourage all Harney County residents to urge Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley, and Representative Bentz to ensure SRS funding.

Below is a copy of the letters that were written:

Dear Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley and Representative Bentz,

On behalf of the 7,348 residents in Harney County, we urge the passage of S.2581, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2023. S.2581 would reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, extending it through 2026 and ensuring that local governments in forested counties continue to have a crucial reliable funding steam.

The SRS program provides critical funding to national forest counties to finance numerous critical services, including infrastructure, conservation projects, search and rescue missions, fire prevention programs, and eduction services.

In Harney County, SRS funds are a lifeline for our critical services. A substantial 75% of these funds are allocated to our road department, which is vital for maintaining our road infrastructure, plowing snow during harsh winters, and stabilizing our county’s bridges. Without this crucial funding, our road department, already stretched thin and operating on reserve funds, faces the grim prospect of drastically cutting services.

The consequences of such cuts would be severe and far-reaching. Deteriorating road conditions would pose significant safety risks. Additionally, these poor conditions would impede the delivery of market goods and deter tourists, which would deal a substantial blow to our local economy and hinder future economic development.

Moreover, SRS funds play a crucial role in supporting our rural schools. The loss of SRS funding could severely impact the quality of education we provide our youth in a negative way. In an era where education is key to future success, we risk putting our children at a significant disadvantage compared to their peers in better-funded districts.

We implore Congress to recognize the critical importance of SRS funds to rural communities like Harney County and authorize and appropriate these funds. By reauthorizing the SRS program, you have the power to ensure that rural counties like our can continue to provide essential services and opportunities for our citizens.

Historically, rural counties have relied on a share of receipts from local timber harvests to supplement local funding for education services and roads. During the 1980s, national policies substantially diminished the revenue-generating activity permitted on these forests. The resulting steep decline in timber sales decreased the revenues that rural counties and school districts received from forest management activities. In response to this decline, SRS was first enacted in 2000 to stabilize payments to counties and compensate for lost revenues.

SRS was last reauthorized on Feb. 15, 2021, for FYs 2021 through 2023. In April 2023, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management distributed $270 million to over 700 counties, parishes and boroughs. In April 2024, the U.S. Forest Service announced $232 million in SRS funds to be distributed to counties. Ensuring these funds continue to be distributed to federal forest counties will allow counties to fund essential government services fully – those mandated by federal and state laws – such as education, emergency services, transportation infrastructure, and law enforcement.

Thank you for your continued service to Harney County and our residents. We thank you for your partnership and ask that you swiftly pass S.2581.

Respectfully,

Bill Hart,

Harney County Judge;

Rob Frank,

Harney County 

Commissioner;

Patty Dorroh,

Harney County 

Commissioner