A federal funding program that will provide about $1.4 million for Flathead County roads and schools this year has been reauthorized.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted to extend Secure Rural Schools funding for two years as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.

In September 2013 the U.S. Senate passed legislation to extend Secure Rural Schools funding for an additional year. The 113th Congress, however, failed to reauthorize the act, which expired in September 2014.

The Senate’s latest action retroactively restores the funding for fiscal year 2014 and assures funding through fiscal year 2015.

The measure authorizes $500 million through the Secure Rural Schools program to support local schools, transportation infrastructure, emergency response and other critical services.

While the federal payments have steadily decreased through the years, the program remains a vital revenue source for Northwest Montana counties.

In fiscal year 2013 Flathead County received just over $1.6 million in Secure Rural Schools funding. Of that, $532,857 went to local schools and $1,067,315 was used to improve county roads.

Flathead’s allocation is a little less for this funding cycle, with the Road Department getting about $958,452 and schools receiving $479,226. The county should receive its payment within 45 days after the bill has been signed into law.

“This is very good news for both the county roads and schools,” Flathead County Administrator Mike Pence said about the continued funding.

With uncertainty swirling around the Secure Rural Schools funding, the county held off filling a mechanic position but will go ahead with the hiring now that the funding is secure, Pence said.

“If it had been a permanent loss, it would be a major, major impact on roads,” he said. Without the federal money this year, Flathead County would have reduced its seasonal work force for summer road maintenance.

“If SRS was cut in perpetuity, we’d be talking about fairly drastic measures in road maintenance and probably a reduction in personnel,” Pence said. 

Lincoln County also relies heavily on the federal money, receiving about $4.8 million in 2013 — the largest single-county allocation in Montana — while Sanders County got $2.2 million.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was enacted in 2000 as a way to compensate timber communities for revenue lost because of reduced timber harvests on federal lands.

Western Montana counties had for decades received funding from U.S. Forest Service timber harvests that declined sharply starting in the late 1980s. Lawmakers determined that school and county funding shouldn’t be dependent on federal timber.

Secure Rural Schools funds will help more than 720 counties and 4,000 school districts across 41 states affected by the decline in revenue from timber harvests on federal lands.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., called the bill “absolutely critical for public health and local economies in rural Montana.”

Matthew Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties, said the legislation is a “significant victory” for forest counties and their residents.

“We are very pleased that Congress is making an investment to support local schools, roads and public safety in communities across the country," Chase said in a press release. ”Our partners on the Hill have heard the call echoing from forest counties across the country. NACo encourages Congress to work together in the same bipartisan manner to enact legislation that promotes active natural resource management to support and strengthen forest communities.”

The federal bill passed Wednesday also includes an extension for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, community health centers and other health-care programs.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.