Bennet, Hickenlooper Welcome $53 Million for Key Colorado Projects

Jun 26, 2026 | Press Releases

Denver - Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper welcomed the Department of the Interior's (DOI) announcement of $53.7 million in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) 2026 funding for 56 Colorado counties. Each year, Congress appropriates funding in accordance with PILT to compensate rural counties that host tax-exempt federal lands.

"Coloradans count on PILT funding to help communities with federal lands pay for roads, public safety, and other essential services," said Bennet. "This $53 million investment will strengthen local communities today while we continue the work toward securing a permanent solution. I'll keep fighting for the certainty and predictability Colorado's rural communities deserve."

"Colorado's public lands are central to what makes our state such a remarkable place to call home and to visit," said Hickenlooper. "PILT reinvests the revenue from those public lands into the surrounding communities to support firefighters, police, and road repairs."

PILT payments are made for tax-exempt federal lands administered by DOI's bureaus, including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service, as well as lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

View a full list of funding recipients HERE.

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