03/30/07 Supporting schools & One Stop Recreation

Planning your next vacation or that weekend recreation trip just got a whole lot easier. A new web site has just been launched designed to allow you and I to view photos and read information on thousands of recreation sites across America. The new recreation.gov site makes it easy to make reservations and pay fees. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. KEMPTHORNE: Americans should not have to stop to think about which web site they should go to in order to make a reservation. This way, they will not have to. And Kempthorne adds there's still work to be done. KEMPTHORNE: Well we're not done with this wonderful effort. We'll continue to work with our partners to add more recreation opportunities to recreation.gov and to make certain the cite becomes more robust in terms of services to the citizens that we are serving. Rural schools and communities across the northwest just got a vote of support. The Senate voted to fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes or PILT program and reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. CRAPO: Counties and school districts across this country are poised to cut much needed jobs and services without this continuation. Many of us have heard the urgent calls from these constituents. The message has been clear, please help us  and I am proud to answer that call by supporting this reauthorization. The funds could assist rural counties struggling to provide necessary services in areas with large amounts of federal land although it is attached to a spending bill which may be vetoed by the White House Now here's today's Washington Grange Report. (GRANGE) That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.