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Herger
Cosponsors Measure to Extend
Rural Schools and Roads Funding Legislation
January 4, 2007
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Congressman Herger joined a bipartisan House delegation
today in introducing legislation (H.R. 17) to extend the Secure Rural
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 for an additional
six years. The "Secure Rural Schools" program was designed to
temporarily stabilize National Forest payments to county schools and road
departments, which had fallen dramatically as federal forest management
projects declined.
"Public schools and road safety programs have been devastated by
declining timber receipts from the National Forests," Congressman
Herger stated. "Secure Rural Schools established a much-needed temporary
safety net to help rural counties cope with the loss. Reauthorization
of this important program is needed until we are able to return to actively
managing our forests."
In 2000, Congressman Herger worked with local county leaders and school
superintendents to enact the Secure Rural Schools program. Under the law,
the Second Congressional District received approximately $25 million annually
for public schools, road maintenance, and forest restoration projects.
Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, and Yuba Counties
each received their final funding under Secure Rural Schools program this
past December. In order to continue the temporary forest payments, Congress
must reauthorize the law and provide funding for the program.
"As important as this program is, our long term objective remains
a return to active forest management," Herger emphasized. "Our
forests face an environmental crisis of major proportions. A lack of management
has left historically spacious and diverse stands over-crowded and susceptible
to unnatural mega-fires and devastating disease and insect infestation.
Communities and watersheds are at grave risk as a result. Managing the
forest will protect people and forest ecosystems, improve rural economies,
and return crucial schools and roads funding to our area."
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