(The Center Square) — Nevada counties have received their annual federal land payments, or Payments in Lieu of Taxes, to the tune of nearly $34 million.
The federal PILT program paid counties across the United States to make up for funds lost by not being able to develop federally owned lands. Despite being the state with the largest portion of federally owned land, Nevada received less PILT money than nine other western states.
“PILT payments support vital services that help rural counties and towns thrive, from public safety to infrastructure and education,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in a press release. “We recognize that local governments are the backbone of our nation, and we will continue working to support their efforts to grow local economies and serve their citizens.”
The 2025 PILT payment of $33,801,823 was more than the Silver State has ever received in a single year since the program began in 1977. The federal funding comes amidst efforts by the Trump administration to sell vast portions of western public lands to help fund tax cuts, a move that has faced resistance in Nevada.
“Nevada’s rural communities rely on PILT funding to complete projects and carry out critical services,” said U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, in a press release. “Close to a million more than last year — to ensure local governments across the Silver State can continue to deliver for families that call our rural counties home.”
Cortez Masto cosponsored the Small County PILT Parity Act to increase funding through the program for counties with smaller populations. The bill was introduced in March but has not been acted on since.
Four counties — Clark, Washoe, Elko and Nye — received over $4 million in PILT payments. Because the payment is curved by population, Clark County received nearly $1 per federally owned acre, with several other counties receiving a better ratio. With more than 2.2 million residents, Clark County is the state’s most populous county, and it’s where Las Vegas is located.
Storey County, with the least publicly owned land, was awarded the least amount of PILT funds at $50,033.
Unlike many federally funded programs, PILT money can be used for any reason by Nevada counties, but is most often put to operational costs such as infrastructure or public schools.
For information on how much PILT money a Nevada county received, click here for the U.S. Department of Interior website.
