Military Communities Initiative
Connecting Counties and Military Installations
Military installations play a crucial role in the local community by providing jobs, tax revenue and support for national security. Coordination between installations and the surrounding community is critical for the strategic safeguarding of land use, strengthening military readiness and the well-being of the installation-community relationship.
More than 500 counties host U.S. military installations, representing more than 15 percent of America’s counties nationwide. In partnership with the U.S. Department of War (DOW) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program, NACo supports communication and information sharing between county governments and neighboring military installations. NACo hosts in-person convenings at NACo conferences and shares real-time opportunities to engage with DOW through a quarterly newsletter, mapping tools, state-by-state reports and other resources you can use directly in your county.
Get involved
If you have an interest or role in coordinating with your local military installation personnel on administrative, environmental, public safety, economic development or other matters, please sign up to receive additional resources including our quarterly newsletter.
Peer Learning
Counties and military installations are deeply connected
The Military Communities Initiative offers peer learning activities to bring together county leaders and foster the support of national security while navigating local land use, environmental and community opportunities and challenges. NACo hosts the following:
- In-person events for counties to engage with DOW and REPI partners at our national conferences.
- Virtual discussion groups with fellow county leaders about how they’ve addressed encroachment, mitigated environmental constraints and aligned development with military mission compatibility.
- Educational sessions and joint in-person convenings to encourage information sharing among counties and DOW.
Counties with Military Installations
Click here to access the map in fullscreen on NACo's County Explorer.
Featured Partner Resources
The Department of War (DOW) relies on secure access to realistic live-fire training, weapons system testing and essential operational environments to build a lethal, resilient combat force. However, incompatible land-use changes near installations, including commercial and residential development, continue to erode training capacity. To address these threats, Congress created the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program in 2002 under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 National Defense Authorization Act. The REPI Program provides the Military Services with tools to protect irreplaceable training areas and mission-critical assets. Through cost-sharing agreements between the Military Services, other Federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations, the REPI Program preserves military missions by avoiding land-use conflicts near military installations, addressing environmental restrictions that limit military activities and increasing military installation resilience.
Produced by the Department of War REPI Program, these state-level fact sheets highlight how REPI investments are supporting military readiness, local economies and environmental resilience. Each report details the locations, funding levels, partners and outcomes of REPI projects within individual states, offering counties a snapshot of defense-community collaboration in their region.
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. Founded in 2013 and codified in statute through the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (10 U.S.C §2693), the partnership aligns the objectives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of War, and Department of the Interior to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, increase public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance landscape resilience.
Resource
Counties and Military Installations 101: Leveraging the Farm Bill to Promote Compatible Land Use and Community Development
White House issues Executive Order addressing barriers to housing construction
White House issues Executive Order addressing barriers to housing construction
U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee takes up reauthorization of EPA Brownfields program
U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee takes up reauthorization of EPA Brownfields program
NACo launches 2026 Rural Energy Academy Cohort to support county decision-making on new energy projects
NACo announces the launch of the 2026 Rural Energy Academy technical assistance cohort.
U.S. Department of the Interior issues new NEPA regulations recognizing local governments as cooperating agencies
On February 23, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a final rule updating the Department’s regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; P.L. 91-190). In a step forward for counties, the final rule reinstates provisions that name local government agencies as cooperating agencies during the NEPA environmental review process.
House Agriculture Committee advances 2026 Farm Bill
On March 5, the House Agriculture Committee voted to advance its version of the 2026 Farm Bill.
National Stormwater Policy Forum Webinar
Learn about current policy issues driving the stormwater sector today.
2026 NACo Energy Symposium
Registration opening April 1: Join county leaders from across the country in Amarillo, Texas to engage with the most pressing energy issues shaping rural America today. Hear from experts, exchange ideas with peers and gain practical insights into the policies, projects and partnerships driving rural energy development.
