Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $52 Million in PILT Payments to Support Vital Services in Oregon

Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $52 Million in PILT Payments to Support Vital Services in Oregon June 29, 2026 Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced counties throughout Oregon will receive a combined total of $52,016,022 in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2026. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT funding helps to defray the costs associated with maintaining important community services in counties with federal lands. “Rural communities shouldn’t have to wonder if they will have the resources they need to pay for essential services and infrastructure,” said Merkley, who serves as Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee which funds PILT. “PILT funds schools, firefighters, law enforcement, and road construction—I’ll keep working to fully fund PILT so communities and families across Oregon have the resources they need to thrive.” “At a time when local budgets throughout Oregon are tight, it’s more important than ever to provide these federal investments that support public education, public safety and transportation statewide,” said Wyden. “I’m glad these resources are heading to make our state an even better place to live and work, and I’ll keep battling both to protect and to strengthen this lifeline.” PILT compensates counties for tax-exempt federal lands administered by federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction and the population of that county or jurisdiction. Individual payments may vary from year to year as a result of changes in acreage data, prior-year federal revenue-sharing payments reported annually by the governor of each state, and inflationary adjustments using the Consumer Price Index and population data. Senators Merkley and Wyden continue to monitor PILT allocations closely and will continue to ensure fair payments for every county. Here is a breakdown of 2026 PILT payments by Oregon county: Oregon County 2026 Payments Total Acres of Federal Land Baker $2,249,689 1,016,405 Benton $250,092 74,430 Clackamas $1,362,698 617,455 Clatsop $8,331 1,585 Columbia $38,883 10,961 Coos $823,730 244,071 Crook $3,244,729 940,423 Curry $1,992,401 687,737 Deschutes $4,328,454 1,444,878 Douglas $4,066,076 1,659,962 Gilliam $160,160 45,757 Grant $1,311,810 1,779,063 Harney $1,473,387 4,462,615 Hood River $585,240 205,855 Jackson $2,966,898 909,696 Jefferson $969,739 305,317 Josephine $2,333,835 714,226 Klamath $4,475,350 2,232,638 Lake $1,562,681 3,692,647 Lane $3,573,364 1,738,095 Lincoln $546,158 192,982 Linn $1,547,459 561,487 Malheur $3,749,431 4,299,181 Marion $624,145 226,094 Morrow $512,050 150,971 Multnomah $237,543 82,322 Polk $148,682 41,984 Sherman $203,763 57,726 Tillamook $413,592 136,490 Umatilla $1,425,156 420,343 Union $2,112,039 624,214 Wallowa $1,497,560 1,171,213 Wasco $655,759 220,075 Washington $49,563 13,972 Wheeler $327,061 302,080 Yamhill $188,514 58,758 Total $52,016,022 31,344,708 A full list of funding by state and county is available on the Interior Department’s PILT webpage . ###