WASHINGTON — Several counties in Oregon, including Morrow County, will receive a total of more than $45 million in funding under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.

Morrow County will receive $175,726, according to the recent announcement from Oregon Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. According to a press release from the senators, the money will go toward a variety of projects, including school and road maintenance, youth job training, wildfire prevention, watershed restoration and habitat conservation.

Other Eastern Oregon counties in line to receive SRS funding include Baker ($841,859), Grant ($3.55 million), Harney ($1.34 million), Malheur ($726), Union County ($698,635) and Wallowa ($1.04 million).

They also reported Umatilla County would receive $95,182 in SRS funds. County Commissioner John Shafer, however, said the announcement was in error.

“You can make a choice and either get SRS funding, or you can get your funding from timber receipts,” Shafer said. “We’ve always chosen timber receipts simply because it’s more money into the coffers of Umatilla County, and we can then use that money in a targeted fashion in the community.”

Wyden, who co-wrote the original SRS law in 2000, expressed his satisfaction that the law still is benefiting rural communities across America, with Oregon receiving the highest amount of funding. He noted that the federal investment in counties across the state is a lifeline for Oregonians who are working toward making their communities safer and better.

Merkley emphasized the importance of the payments for rural communities, as they support essential services such as schools, infrastructure and public safety. He pledged to continue fighting to ensure the federal government honors its promises to rural Oregon.

The $228 million provided by the SRS program will benefit more than 700 counties across the United States by providing crucial funding for schools, roads and other municipal services. The funds are generated through multi-use activities on U.S. Forest Service lands, such as grazing, timber production and special use permits.