WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced Monday that more than 1,900 local governments around the country will receive $514.7 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2020.

McKean County, Pa., will receive $261,816 for 135,337 acres, while Elk County, Pa., will receive $216,717 for 111,966 acres.

“This year’s distribution of $514.7 million to more than 1,900 counties will help small towns pay for critical needs like emergency response, public safety, public schools, housing, social services, and infrastructure,” said Bernhardt.

PILT payments are made annually for tax-exempt federal lands administered by U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), for lands administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS); and for federal water projects and some military installations.