Counties receiving federal funds for Hoosier National Forest

Several area counties are receiving funds from the U.S. Forest Service to help provide essential services.

The federal agency announced today that payments from the Secure Rural Schools and Payments in Lieu of Taxes programs would go to nine Indiana counties including $84,858 to Brown County, $85,506 to Jackson County and $119,206 to Monroe County.

Also receiving funds were Crawford, Dubois, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Perry counties.

The counties contain portions of the Hoosier National Forest will receive SRS funding based on timber receipts and special use permits. The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program helps local governments offset reduced property tax revenue from federally owned lands.

The payments are meant to help sustain public schools, maintain local roads, strengthen wildfire preparedness, and support other essential services in rural communities.

The U.S. Forest Service announced $248 million in SRS payments for the 2025 funding period.