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County Payments

PILT Proposal Would Help Small-Population Counties

December 2019

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

Analysis shows raising Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) population limits for small-population counties would have increased total payments by $2 million in 2019.

Commercial Activities on National Forests

March 2019

Updated: Headwaters Economics produced two interactive maps to show the range of commercial activities on National Forests at the Forest, state and forest region levels.

Endowing Federal Public Land Counties

January 2018

Logging Truck, County Payments, endowing federal public land counties

Reforming county payments by establishing a permanent Trust to fund Secure Rural Schools (SRS).

President’s Budget Proposal Cuts County Payments

June 2017

New analysis and interactive map show how the President’s budget proposal cuts county payments and the impact for every county in the nation.

Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust

March 2017

Unlike most countries and state governments, the U.S. has not created a natural resources trust which could help meet volatility and spending challenges facing local and county governments.

County Payments Research

October 2016

Logging Truck, County Payments, endowing federal public land counties

County governments are compensated for the tax-exempt status of federal public lands within their boundaries. These payments often constitute a significant portion of county and school budgets, particularly in rural counties with extensive public land ownership.

Wildlife Refuge Payments: Reforms and Funding

April 2016

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

How national wildlife refuge payments–especially important to rural counties–could be reformed and funded.

Reforming Wildlife Refuge Payments

April 2016

How county governments can benefit from reforming wildlife refuge payments.

County Payment Reform Ideas, and Analysis of Recent Proposals

April 2015

Bar chart showing payments to counties

Reform ideas for future county payments from Headwaters Economics as well analysis of proposals made in the House, Senate, and by the President.

Time for a U.S. Natural Resources Trust?

November 2014

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

Compared to other nations and even U.S. states, the federal government is a conspicuous laggard in creating a natural resources trust which would allow for stable, permanent, and ever rising payments to states and local governments without risks to taxpayers.

Federal Land Payments to Counties: Background Analysis, History, and Context

December 2010

Research on the history and context of county payments which play an important role in many rural communities–influencing public lands management, economic development, and funding for local schools, roads, and public safety.

Clearwater Basin Collaborative

September 2009

Clearwater collaborative

The Clearwater Basin Collaborative is a diverse group of regional interests working together to craft a plan for the protection, use, and management of National Forest land within the Clearwater Basin in Idaho.

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