Griffith Announces $779,421 ‘Secure Rural Schools’ Funds to Support Ninth District Communities

The U.S. Forest Service announced it will issue $248 million to U.S. communities through the "Secure Rural Schools" program. "Secure Rural Schools" program funds are essentially meant to supplement Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT). Numerous communities in Virginia's Ninth District will receive funds. These program funds include:

• $18,027 to Bedford County
• $97,986 to Bland County
• $8,805 to Carroll County
• $134,085 to Craig County
• $12,862 to Dickenson County
• $67,577 to Giles County
• $57,945 to Grayson County
• $19,224 to Lee County
• $23,157 to Montgomery County
• $21,134 to Pulaski County
• $3,489 to Roanoke County
• $53,560 to Scott County
• $93,298 to Smyth County
• $12,197 to Tazewell County
• $24,200 to Washington County
• $55,200 to Wise County
• $76,675 to Wythe County

In response to these awarded funds, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement.

"As someone who voted to reauthorize the 'Secure Rural Schools' program, I am glad to see these funds flow to Ninth District communities.

"It is not right for rural communities to miss out on property tax revenue from public lands that could be used for local schools and roads. I am glad that the 'Secure Rural Schools' program provides some relief to localities that contain tracts of federally owned national forests."

BACKGROUND

In December 2025, Congressman Griffith voted in favor of S. 356 - the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025. Later that month, President Trump signed this bill into law.

Starting in 2000, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and Community Self Determination Act to help stabilize funds available to rural counties.

The SRS program helps rural counties that possess tracts of federally owned forest land that are tax-exempt. SRS projects reward localities as a result of various Forest Service activities on these lands, like grazing and timber, that produce revenue.

Funding for the SRS program lapsed in September of 2023. The last authorized SRS payments distributed to counties took place in early 2024.

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