Road to Reauthorization: Local and Regional Priorities for the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill
This webinar is available on-demand. If you have issues accessing the recording, please email nacomeetings@naco.org.
Join NACo and the Local Officials in Transportation (LOT) Coalition to hear updates on the ongoing surface transportation reauthorization process, including learning more about the coalition’s policy priorities and how you can get involved. The LOT Coalition advocates for policies that help local governments and regional organizations better access and implement federal transportation funding to support locally owned infrastructure across our country. The coalition includes the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), the National League of Cities and the US Conference of Mayors (USCM).
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U.S. Forest Service seeks comment on proposal to rescind 2001 Roadless Rule in National Forests
Roadless Rule
On August 20, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. The rule prohibits road construction, reconstruction and most timber management on almost 45 million acres of National Forest land, and its repeal would give federal forest managers significant flexibility to manage forests in accordance with local need.
U.S. Forest Service reopens Resource Advisory Committee nomination process
On August 13, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced it was reopening the nomination process for Resource Advisory Committee (RACs) that direct certain funding from the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. County elected officials are eligible and encouraged to apply to serve on a RAC by November 12, 2026.
NACo Legal Advocacy: St. Mary’s Catholic Parish v. Roy
The U.S. Supreme Court is deciding how easily a challenger can move a neutral local rule out of deferential review and into the most demanding standard in Constitutional law.
NACo Legal Advocacy: Grand v. City University Heights
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether federal courts may hear certain religious liberty challenges to local zoning decisions before the local land use process reaches a final decision.
NACo Legal Advocacy: Suncor Energy v. Boulder County
NACo joined a Supreme Court amicus brief arguing that federal law should not prevent counties from pursuing state-law claims to recover costs associated with local harms.
NACo Legal Advocacy: Jouppi v. Alaska
On July 20, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Jouppi v. Alaska (25-246), a case that could affect how state and local governments impose and defend fines and property forfeitures under the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause.