BLM Press Release: '96 Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)

The Bureau of Land Management

NEWS

Over $113 Million Goes to Local Governments for Tax-Exempt Lands

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today announced that payments totaling $113.1 million have been sent to 2,076 local governmental units across the country in accordance with the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Act of 1976.

The annual payments are distributed to eligible units of general local government by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The payments are intended to offset the loss of tax revenue to States and localities caused by the presence of tax-exempt federal land.

"These payments are beneficial to local governments, especially for sparsely populated counties that contain large amounts of tax-exempt federal lands," BLM Acting Director Mike Dombeck said. "The PILT revenues help local governments provide people with fire and police protection, hospital, public school, and road construction, and search and rescue operations."

The BLM administers the PILT program because it is the largest single federal land management agency, with responsibility for over 270 million acres of public lands. Payments are made for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and for federal water projects and some military installations. The payments are in addition to revenues from oil and gas leases, along with sales of minerals, timber and other materials and products derived from public lands.

"Federal lands provide innumerable social, esthetic, environmental, and economic benefits and opportunities. PILT is a reminder of the partnership among the federal government and States and local governments," Dombeck said. Including the current payment, over two billion dollars have been returned to local governments from BLM since payments began in 1977.

All States -- plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands -- are receiving PILT funds this year. The States with counties that collectively receive the largest amounts are: New Mexico, $11,799,593; California, $10,981,192; Arizona, $9,637,603; Utah, $9,587,428; Montana, $8,932,533; and Idaho, $7,995,629.

State-by-State Breakdown of FY 1996 Payments
Alabama	$239,674
Alaska	$4,882,672
Arizona	$9,637,603
Arkansas	$1,703,768
California	$10,981,192
Colorado	$7,817,610
Connecticut	$18,707
Delaware	$11,727
District of Columbia	$35,710
Florida	$1,620,329
Georgia	$748,874
Hawaii	$10,232
Idaho	$7,995,629
Illinois	$339,268
Indiana	$244,964
Iowa	$137,770
Kansas	$427,494
Kentucky	$717,597
Louisiana	$160,902
Maine	$100,382
Maryland	$43,159
Massachusetts	$43,459
Michigan	$1,373,732
Minnesota	$770,053
Mississippi	$470,301
Missouri	$1,319,450
Montana	$8,932,533
Nebraska	$359,977
Nevada	$7,061,300
New Hampshire	$548,110
New Jersey	$45,414
New Mexico	$11,799,593
New York	$50,011
North Carolina	$1,366,425
North Dakota	$624,113
Ohio	$321,502
Oklahoma	$850,185
Oregon	$3,700,340
Pennsylvania	$181,744
Rhode Island	$8
South Carolina	$209,525
South Dakota	$1.420,464
Tennessee	$714,298
Texas	$1,386,756
Utah	$9,587,428
Vermont	$269,607
Virginia	$1,069,907
Washington	$2,210,226
West Virginia	$955,183
Wisconsin	$325,212
Wyoming	$7,239,842
Puerto Rico	$6,086
Guam	$946
Virgin Islands	$11,006
TOTAL	$113,099,999

Over $113 Million Goes to Local Governments for Tax-Exempt Lands

State-by-State Breakdown of FY 1996 Payments

State-by-State Breakdown
of FY 1996 Payments