Idaho counties get $50M for services to account for untaxed federal lands
Idaho is set to receive a nearly $50 million payment toward community services across its 44 counties through a program that accounts for the federal lands in the state that go untaxed.
Annually, the U.S. Department of the Interior amasses billions in revenues from commercial activities on public land. Some of that money is distributed to counties and states, with another portion sent to the U.S. Treasury Department to cover the cost of other federal programs, including funding PILT, short for Payments in Lieu of Taxes. The PILT program was enacted in 1976.
Idaho is made up of about 63% federal lands with its more than 33.6 million acres, according to the Idaho Department of Lands. The state’s $49.6 million PILT payout ranks in the top eight among U.S. states for fiscal year 2026. California leads the way at about $80 million, according to the Interior Department.
U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch each have long supported the long-term viability of the federal PILT program, the two Idaho Republicans said in a news release. The payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county and the population of that jurisdiction.
“Idaho’s counties are responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, and dependable PILT funding helps them meet community service demands,” Crapo said in a statement. “These payments help local governments make long-term investments in roads, emergency services and other essential priorities while recognizing the economic realities created by federal land ownership."
Added Risch: “Every Idaho county contains federal land, making PILT funding critical to maintaining the roads and essential services Idahoans rely on each day. These payments ensure Idaho’s rural communities can offset the loss of revenue from nontaxable federal land.”
Idaho’s payment this year went up by almost $6.6 million, or about 15%, from fiscal year 2025, the Interior Department financial data showed. The increase from fiscal year 2024 to 2025 was about 4%.
