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
DOI, DOE and the EPA announce new funding and regulatory measures to support U.S. coal industry
On September 29, the U.S. Departments of the Interior (DOI), Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced coordinated actions to expand domestic coal production and coal-fired energy generation.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces it will uphold 2024 PFAS CERCLA rule
On September 17, the EPA announced that the agency will uphold the 2024 rule designating two types of PFAS as hazardous under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
DOI announces millions for multiple wetlands conservation programs
On September 18, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced $54 million in land acquisitions for waterfowl habitat conservation through a program administered by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. The conservation actions add onto an August 4 announcement of $102.9 million in grant-based funding under a separate program administered by the Commission for the conservation of critical wetlands ecosystems and migratory bird habitat through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.
County Countdown – September 22, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a short-term funding bill introduced to avert shutdown, new Rural Health Transformation Program and more.
House Natural Resources Committee advances reauthorization legislation for NOAA’s Digital Coast program
On September 17, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed the bipartisan Digital Coast Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the Digital Coast program through 2030.
MAHA Commission releases federal strategy outlining next steps in childhood chronic disease prevention
On September 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s new Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, following the earlier MAHA Report published in May 2025. The strategy builds on the assessment’s findings regarding four key drivers of childhood chronic disease: poor diet, chemical exposure, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and overmedicalization.
GoFundMe’s Crisis Response Playbook: Trusted Solutions for Counties
This webinar will showcase how GoFundMe serves as a trusted partner for counties and communities in times of crisis.
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.