Congress voted Friday, June 29, to extend the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. The SRS extension is part of the nation’s transportation bill.

The extension moved one step closer to reauthorization Wednesday, June 27, when House and Senate conference committee members reached a compromise on the nation’s long-stalled transportation bill, which was due to expire Saturday, June 30.

SRS helps to stabilize school districts and road departments in timber counties that have seen a precipitous decline in their shares of public land receipts as a result of decreased logging activity.

The compromise contains Senate language that extends SRS for one year, through fiscal year 2012, at 5 percent below 2011 funding levels.

The development is good news for Plumas County and Plumas Unified School District, each of which stands to receive about $1,755,000. The county is currently anticipating a $3 million hole in its general fund budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year. By law, the county’s portion goes to the road department. The school district also expects deficit spending for the 2012-13 school year.

The language retains two other features of the original Secure Rural Schools act. Title II and Title III are pots of money that go to the Forest Service and to counties, respectively, for natural resource projects. Under the new formula, Plumas National Forest could receive $330,341 and Plumas County would get $289,049.