Assemblyman Brian Dahle announced Tuesday the introduction of legislation which encourages Congress to reauthorize the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. According to Dahle the SRS funding mitigates the impact on county governments and schools from the reduction in timber harvesting production on federal forest lands.
“California’s rural communities have come to rely on SRS funding,” explains Dahle, “more than $33 million statewide each year to support public schools and critical roads programs.”
“The Secure Rural Schools Act fulfills a commitment made by the federal government to rural counties. We need to ensure that the federal government continues that commitment as it is vital to educating our children and providing good and safe roads in California’s rural communities,” said Assemblyman Dahle.
In a brief statement issued by the Assemblyman’s office Tuesday afternoon Dahle explains that SRS, first enacted by Congress in 2000, allows forest counties throughout the country to receive payments based on pre-2000 levels of timber harvesting activity on federal lands. In California, these federal payments are made to the State and then forwarded primarily to schools and counties. Counties use these funds for their road programs. SRS has been reauthorized several times, including in September of 2013 when Congress granted a one-year extension. Unless SRS is re-authorized in the coming weeks, forested counties will be impacted for the loss of monies for 2014.
“Assemblyman Dahle and his colleagues are to be commended for recognizing the need to inform Congress that the federal Secure Rural Schools program should be continued,” said Lee Adams, Rural County Representatives of California Chair and Sierra County Supervisor. “SRS remains vital to rural counties like Sierra in ensuring a healthy road network and a quality education.”
Assemblyman Dahle worked closely with RCRC to author Assembly Joint Resolution 5 which urges the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to continue SRS. If adopted by the State Legislature, copies of AJR 5 will be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer, and each member of the House of Representatives delegation from California.
In a complementary effort, 23 of RCRC’s rural counties recently adopted resolutions also urging Congress to reauthorize SRS. These 23 counties represent more than 54 percent of California’s federally managed land, and more than $27 million in annual SRS funding.
In November 2014, Assemblyman Dahle was re-elected to represent the 1st Assembly District, which contains all of Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Shasta Counties, and portions of Butte and Placer Counties. Each of these counties (and the schools within) receives a significant portion of SRS funding.
