The Stikine River Flats area in the Tongass National Forest viewed by helicopter. The nearby community of Wrangell has received federal funding, through the Secure Rural Schools Act program, designed to assist communities impacted by the declining timber industry. (Photo by Alicia Stearns/U.S. Forest Service)
Rural schools, mostly in Southeast Alaska, are facing a major funding shortfall this year after the U.S. House of Representatives failed to reauthorize a bill aimed at funding communities alongside national forests and lands.
The bipartisan Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was first passed in 2000, and enacted to assist communities impacted by the declining timber industry. It provided funds for schools, as well as for roads, emergency services and wildfire prevention. The award varies each year depending on federal land use and revenues. The legislation is intended to help communities located near federal forests and lands pay for essential services. In 2023 , the law awarded over $250 million nationwide, and over $12.6 million to Alaska…