The U.S. Department of the Interior  announced that 15 local governments in Arizona will receive a total of $43.5 million in payments in lieu of taxes  funding for 2023.

Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT payments help to defray the costs associated with maintaining community services.

PILT payments are made for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the department’s bureaus, including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service.

In addition, PILT payments cover federal lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission.

Payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction and the population of that county or jurisdiction.

 “PILT payments help local governments carry out vital services, such as firefighting and police protection, construction of public schools and roads, and search-and-rescue operations," said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget Joan Mooney. "We are grateful for our ongoing partnerships with local jurisdictions across the country who help the Interior Department fulfill our mission on behalf of the American public.”