2026 NACo Energy Symposium

Optional Pre-Symposium Mobile Tours

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For attendees arriving early, we're offering a set of optional mobile tours across the Texas Panhandle ahead of the symposium's official kickoff. These tours give county officials a firsthand look at the region's energy landscape before sessions begin. Space is limited and tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees will return in time for the evening welcome reception.

Welcome Reception at Sixcar Brewery Rooftop

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Join fellow county officials for informal drinks and conversation on historic Polk Street in Amarillo to kick off the symposium. Stop by to reconnect with colleagues, meet new peers and settle in ahead of a full agenda.

Breakfast and Opening General Session

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Kick off the symposium with welcome remarks over breakfast and a keynote address welcoming attendees to the Texas Panhandle and setting the stage for the day's conversations on the county role in America's energy future.

The Future of Oil and Gas

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

For many counties, oil and gas revenues are the backbone of local budgets. This workshop examines production trends, royalty and severance tax structures and what county officials need to know about long-term fiscal planning as the energy mix evolves. It also looks to the broader natural gas supply chain — including the role of storage and infrastructure in keeping energy reliable and affordable — and what counties need to know about their role in siting, permitting and community engagement as new energy projects are proposed. Attendees will leave with a clearer picture of how to protect and diversify county revenues in a changing market and how to navigate the infrastructure decisions shaping their communities.

What Counties Need to Know About Battery Energy Storage

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are rapidly becoming a critical piece of the energy puzzle, enabling counties to capture more value from power generation, strengthen grid reliability and attract new economic development. This workshop covers how utility-scale and community-scale storage projects work, what county governments should know about siting, zoning and fire safety considerations and how storage fits into broader resilience planning. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating storage projects in their communities.

Bringing Community Perspectives into Energy Decisions, Session 1

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

A structured discussion with county leaders and policy experts on how counties incorporate community perspectives into energy development decisions. Participants will compare approaches to gathering meaningful public input, running fair and productive hearings, responding to organized support and opposition, and ensuring resident concerns are reflected in the decisions counties ultimately make. Come prepared to share what has and hasn't worked in your own county.

Networking Break with Symposium Sponsors

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Take a break between symposium sessions to recharge with refreshments and meet our sponsors. Stop by their tables to learn about the products, services, and partnerships shaping the energy landscape in counties across the country.

The State of Solar and Wind

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Wind and solar development are expanding quickly and counties sit at the center of how these projects take shape on the ground. This session offers a current picture ofthe wind and solar landscape alongside the county policy levers that shape project outcomes.  Levers include permitting and zoning frameworks, siting standards and fiscal tools such as abatements, PILOTs and community benefit agreements. County leaders and industry representatives will share what has worked in their own communities and projects, leaving attendees with practical approaches for structuring decisions that deliver durable value for residents and clear expectations for developers.

Energy Development on Public Lands

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Public lands are increasingly at the center of the nation's energy future and county governments have a unique stake in how that future unfolds. This workshop explores the growing opportunity to align public lands energy development with active natural resource stewardship - spanning oil and gas production, biomass projects that reduce wildfire risk while supporting timber communities and renewable development. Attendees will examine how federal agencies are balancing energy production goals with conservation mandates, where counties have leverage and how communities are turning public land energy policy into economic opportunity, without leaving their residents behind.

Bringing Community Perspectives into Energy Decisions, Session 2

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

A structured discussion with county leaders and policy experts on how counties incorporate community perspectives into energy development decisions. Participants will compare approaches to gathering meaningful public input, running fair and productive hearings, responding to organized support and opposition, and ensuring resident concerns are reflected in the decisions counties ultimately make. Come prepared to share what has and hasn't worked in your own county.

Lunch and General Session: Counties and the Data Center Boom

12:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Attendees are invited to grab lunch and find a seat at the rounds; dining is welcome throughout the session.

County leaders are on the frontlines of the data center buildout sweeping the nation. This general session examines the county role in one of the fastest-growing land use and energy stories in the country – from initial site selection and permitting to long-term impacts on local power grids, water supplies, tax bases and economic opportunity. Whether your county is actively courting data center investment or just beginning to field inquiries, this session offers a grounded look at what the boom means for county leaders and the residents we serve.

Energy Tailgate Sponsor Expo

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Join us between the lunch session and afternoon workshops for the Energy Tailgate – a relaxed expo where attendees can connect with the sponsors and exhibitors driving energy innovation across America's counties. Grab a bite, visit the booths and talk one-on-one with the companies and organizations shaping the future of energy development. It's a chance to make connections, trade ideas and see what's new before the afternoon sessions begin.

Managing the Grid of the Future

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Growing energy demand, combined with a surge in new generation projects seeking interconnection, has reignited a national debate about how, where and whether to expand transmission infrastructure. New transmission lines can bring benefits for local economies and consumers, but they can also mean eminent domain battles, altered landscapes and exacerbate concerns about who ultimately bears the cost. This session takes an honest look at grid modernization and the transmission conversation from a county perspective by exploring the current state of the U.S. grid, the county role in grid modernization and how to evaluate transmission proposals on their merits for your community.

The Future of Nuclear Power

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Nuclear energy is back in the national conversation, and this time, it comes in smaller, more flexible forms. This session covers the current state of advanced nuclear and small modular reactor (SMR) technology, the federal outlook on nuclear and what the potential siting of new reactors could mean for local jobs, tax revenue and long-term economic development.

Community Benefit Agreements: Securing Value for County Residents

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

A roundtable and listening session on how counties negotiate and secure lasting benefits from energy development. County leaders and policy experts will discuss the tools available – from community benefit agreements to host community fees, payments in lieu of taxes and negotiated commitments on local hiring, infrastructure and land use – and how to deploy them effectively at the negotiating table. The session is built for candid exchange: come prepared to share what your county has secured, where negotiations have fallen short and what you want to learn from peers facing the same decisions.

All Symposium Reception at Mack Dick Pavilion, Palo Duro Canyon State Park

6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Wind down the day with dinner and drinks alongside fellow symposium attendees in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Known as the Grand Canyon of Texas, Palo Duro is the second-largest canyon in the country, with layered red rock walls that turn deep orange as the sun drops. 

Breakfast Session, Pre-Mobile Tour Briefing

8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Attendees will gather for breakfast and a pre-tour briefing. Following the briefing's conclusion, attendees will board buses to depart for the mobile tour.

Mobile Tour: Data Center Project

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Please note that this tour is open to county officials only.

This mobile tour will provide attendees with a firsthand look at one of the largest hyperscale data center and energy developments underway in the United States. Set in the heart of Armstrong County, Texas, the project offers a rare ground-level view of what large-scale data center development looks like in practice. The tour provides an opportunity to see the intersection of land use, energy development and technology infrastructure up close, and to consider what projects of this scale mean for the counties that host them.

Closing Remarks and Adjournment

12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The symposium closes with brief remarks reflecting on the themes of the past two days and the road ahead for counties navigating an evolving energy landscape. Attendees will leave with key takeaways and an invitation to continue the conversation in the year ahead.