NACo Information Series on Treasury’s ARPA Flexibility Guidance: Relief from Natural Disasters
On August 10, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) released their Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the bipartisan State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act (i.e. Cornyn/Padilla Amendment) that allows counties to invest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) dollars in emergency relief from natural disasters that have occurred, are expected to occur imminently of to occur in the future. Join NACo for our second in a series of information sessions where we will walk through key features of Treasury’s Interim Final Rule for the ARPA SLFRF and how counties can effectively take advantage of the new flexibilities and invest these dollars at the local level.
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Resource
NACo Analysis: Overview of New Treasury Guidance for ARPA Flexibility Legislation
Featured Initiative
American Rescue Plan Resource Hub
U.S. House of Representatives passes SPEED Act and other permitting reform bills
On December 18, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776). The SPEED Act would strengthen county involvement in decision-making and make needed commonsense reforms to the federal environmental review process.
House Natural Resources Committee advances the Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2025
On December 17, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Amendments Act of 2025 (H.R. 1897). The version passed by the committee adopted several changes from the initial bill and would address key county concerns by improving the implementation of the ESA. The legislation now awaits a floor vote before the whole U.S. House of Representatives.
Senators introduce bipartisan UPGRADE Act to support small and rural public water systems
On December 15, Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the Unincorporated Partnerships for Grant Resources, Assistance, and Drinking Water Enhancements (UPGRADE) Act (S. 3465), a bipartisan bill that would strengthen federal support for small public water systems and helps unincorporated communities access clean and affordable water.
County Countdown – Dec. 15, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
U.S. Department of Agriculture unveils $700 million for regenerative agriculture
On December 10, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the launch of a $700 million pilot program to support regenerative agriculture practices across the country.
County Countdown – Dec. 1, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
Modern Networks, Smarter Budgets: A County Leader's Perspective
Join us for a fireside chat with Orleans County, NY, as they share how their team successfully transitioned from a traditional capital expense (CapEx) model to an operational expense (OpEx) model for network services.
When faced with rising maintenance costs and an expiring carrier contract, the county seized the opportunity to modernize its network and lock in predictable monthly costs. By bundling connectivity services with unified communications, they achieved immediate savings of over $124,000, eliminated recurring charges such as long-distance fees and third-party integration costs, and gained access to operational upgrades like call analytics and auto-attendants.
This shift not only strengthened financial planning through fixed monthly expenses but also freed up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives.
Key takeaway: Rethinking your budget model can be just as impactful as upgrading your technology — delivering fiscal stability and enhanced services for your community.