Human Services & Education Policy Steering Committee

The U.S. Economic Development Administration has launched the Fiscal Year 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program, making $1.45 billion available to help communities recover from natural disasters and build long-term economic resilience. Counties affected by major disaster declarations in 2023 or 2024 are eligible to apply for funding to rebuild infrastructure, strengthen local economies and prepare for future disruptions. This program goes beyond immediate recovery, aiming to transform local economies and foster sustainable, long-term economic growth. 

Members of NACo’s Western Interstate Region learned about and fueled the work being done by the National Center for Public Lands Counties at the WIR Conference in Pennington County, S.D.

Counties are exploring the potential for energy generation on their public lands, but local control will set the stage for a tradeoff.

A multi-agency push could open up hundreds of thousands of BLM acres near towns and cities to development for attainable housing.

On April 28, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new suite of upcoming actions to address contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These measures, outlined by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, aim to strengthen scientific understanding, enhance enforcement and build partnerships with impacted communities, including counties and other local governments.