Local governments across Wyoming will be receiving millions of dollars in payment in lieu of taxes from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
On Thursday, June 24, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced 23 local governments in Wyoming will receive $31.2 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2021.
P.I.L.T. are made annually for tax-exempt federal lands administered by Department of the Interior agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation. Since local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual P.I.L.T. payments help to defray costs associated with maintaining important community services.
The Department collects more than $10.3 billion in revenue annually from commercial activities on public lands, such as oil and gas leasing, livestock grazing, and timber harvesting. A portion of these revenues is shared with states and counties. The balance is deposited in the U.S. Treasury, which in turn pays for a broad array of federal activities, including PILT funding.
“This year’s distribution of $31.2 million to 23 counties will help local governments carry out vital services, such as firefighting and police protection, construction of public schools and roads, and search-and-rescue operations,” said Secretary Haaland. “Our mission relies on partnerships with U.S. states and territories. These disbursements are a great example of our commitment to be a good neighbor to the communities we serve.”
All $31.2 million will be distributed between Wyoming’s 23 counties. The amount of money depends on the amount of federal acreage in each county.
Albany County $1,631,938 674,052
Big Horn County $1,221,397 1,545,102
Campbell County $904,482 366,072
Carbon County $1,511,123 2,720,797
Converse County $919,553 403,870
Crook County $808,962 333,850
Fremont County $2,822,966 3,185,744
Goshen County $78,350 27,320
Hot Springs County $830,359 569,846
Johnson County $1,097,940 830,369
Laramie County $27,269 9,508
Lincoln County $1,595,322 1,947,342
Natrona County $3,863,491 1,484,665
Niobrara County $360,266 125,927
Park County $2,127,729 3,591,547
Platte County $304,633 106,460
Sheridan County $1,103,816 438,779
Sublette County $992,450 2,422,402
Sweetwater County $3,497,939 4,601,779
Teton County $2,036,715 2,624,654
Unita County $1,597,197 568,322
Washakie County $1,244,451 959,405
Weston County $649,245 310,577
Total: $31,227,593 29,848,389
