Churchill County will receive more than $2 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes. Local government agencies such as police and fire departments receive PILT to carry out services.
LVN file
The Department of the Interior is providing more $31 million under the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for Nevada’s rural counties in Nevada for fiscal Year 2023, announced Nevada’s Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen.
PILT payments are federal payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within those governments’ boundaries. PILT payments support local governments in carrying out services as firefighting and police protection, construction of public schools and roads, and search-and-rescue operations.
Churchill County will receive $2,797,457, while Lyon County is receiving $2,592,732.
Clark, Elko and Washoe counites will each receive more than $4 million.
The payments are made annually for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service and for federal water projects and some military installations
Mineral development
Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, CD-2, has introduced legislation to reverse the Department of Interior’s recent withdrawal of 22,684 acres of Bureau of Land Management land in the Railroad Valley of Nye County from all forms of mineral development.
He also introduced a House resolution to disapprove of the withdrawal.
“Railroad Valley is home to an abundance of critical minerals that can help boost the American economy, strengthen domestic supply chains, and reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries,” he said. “That’s why it was especially disappointing that the administration opted to close the door on this mineral development by approving NASA’s unreasonable demand for exclusive control over the playa in Railroad Valley, even though NASA’s mission in the area would not be impacted by these proposed mining projects.”
Amodei said NASA, the lead agency, has refused to allow Nye County to participate in the NEPA process as a cooperating agency.
“The fact that NASA so strongly resisted the local authorities having a formal seat at the table demonstrates the height of bureaucratic arrogance,” he said.
Gold Star legislation
The proposed Love Lives On Act will allow spouses of deceased servicemembers to retain survivor benefits if they remarry, U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen said.
Currently, a surviving spouse under the age of 55 will lose survivor benefits if they remarry. The bill would allow surviving spouses to retain their benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense upon remarriage at any age.
Rural renewable energy projects
Rural small businesses, farmers, and ranchers in Nevada are encouraged to apply for the Rural Energy for America Program, which provides federal assistance for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency projects improvements that would help lower energy costs.
Since 2018, the REAP program has provided nearly $600,000 for Nevadans, and Sen. Jacky Rosen said more Nevadans should take advantage of the program. The increased funding for this program that allows for more applications to be considered comes from the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act I helped pass, rural Nevadans can access additional federal funding to improve their energy efficiency and help lower energy costs,” Rosen said. “At a time when we are experiencing high inflation and rising prices, I encourage all eligible Nevada rural small businesses, farmers, and ranchers to take advantage of this funding opportunity.”
The next deadline to apply for a REAP grant is June 30. For information or to start an application, go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website at www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services.