The Interior Department says Idaho’s 44 counties will receive a combined $35.8 million under a government program intended to offset the loss of property taxes on federally managed land within the state.
President Joe Biden in March signed an appropriations bill that included full funding of $549.4 million for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program, or PILT, for 2022, with payments to states now finalized.
About 63% of Idaho is federally managed lands, and its PILT payment is the seventh-highest among states this year. California is receiving the most at about $59 million, followed by New Mexico and Utah at about $44 million each.
This year’s Idaho PILT payment is a slight increase from the $34.5 million the state received last year.
The PILT payments are made annually by the Interior Department and its agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management. The payments also cover federal lands administered by the Forest Service and other agencies.
Locally, Idaho County will receive $1.9 million; Clearwater County will receive nearly $886,000; Latah County’s share will be just under $299,000; Nez Perce County will get nearly $92,000; and Lewis County’s PILT payment will be just over $9,000.
