Tuesday, Oct 4 2011 2:48PM
County officials in Utah state that when funds from the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act run out, they'll need financial assistance for residents.
Legislation passed a decade ago to financially assist rural communities adversely affected by national timber regulations is expected to run out soon, the St. George News reports, and some Utah counties may feel the effects of the expiration.
According to the paper, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 was passed to aid communities which substantially relied on revenues from the timber industry after federal regulations halted the industry.
However, the legislation will expire soon. The paper states many Utah communities, including Washington, Garfield and San Juan counties, will be economically affected once the funding is gone.
For instance, Justin Fischer, economic development manager for Garfield County, told the paper the county is "dying" because of mismanaged land use by the federal government. The funding expiration would only exacerbate the county's plight, he added.
Earlier this year, the paper notes Congressman Robert Bishop of Utah stated the funding should remain in place for these communities, as they have few other options.
"For more than a decade, the Secure Rural Schools Program has provided a safety net for rural communities in response to the federal government's inability to manage the land and resources it took over more than a century ago," Bishop said in July.
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St. George News