Federal Permits, Local Partnerships: Counties and the Federal Permitting Landscape
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A NACo primer making the case for counties to be formally recognized as cooperating agencies in federal environmental reviews under NEPA, backed by cost-of-delay data and legislative context.
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This primer outlines the financial and operational toll of federal permitting delays on county infrastructure projects, citing statistics like 4–5 year typical timelines and over $1.1 trillion in tied-up investment. It argues that counties — which own 45 percent of public road miles and 38 percent of public bridges — must be formally designated as cooperating agencies in NEPA reviews to bring local expertise into the process and reduce costly late-stage delays. The primer highlights NACo's specific legislative asks, progress already secured in the SPEED Act and CERTAIN Act and the foundation laid by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
BUILD America 250 Act looks good for county bridge funding prospects
Counties stand to receive a healthy infusion of funding to address bridges under the surface transportation bill, BUILD America 250 Act.
Research Reveals National Road Funding Crisis as County Leaders Urge Congressional Action
Research released today by the National Association of Counties (NACo) underscores a national road funding crisis and the large role counties play in the U.S. transportation network, as infrastructure investment needs outpace available revenue due to aging infrastructure, rising construction costs and weakened purchasing power. The American Society of Civil Engineers projects a $684 billion national funding shortfall for roads over the next decade, of which counties own a significant share.
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee advances bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill
On May 17, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) introduced the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act (BUILD America 250 Act), a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize surface transportation programs through the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for five years. After continuous advocacy from NACo, county leaders and coalition partners, the BUILD America 250 Act contains a number of key county priorities.
In Memoriam: Unfunded mandate reform bill sponsor Dirk Kempthorne
As a freshman senator, Dirk Kempthorne passed a law making it more difficult for Congress to impose the costs of mandates on state and local governments.
U.S. Department of Agriculture announces new environmental review regulations
On May 12, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced that its programs will officially adopt USDA’s new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, marking a significant shift in how environmental reviews will be implemented across USDA agencies.
NACo endorses bill to support, finance transit-oriented development projects
On April 20, NACo endorsed the Build Housing, Unlock Benefits and Services (Build HUBS) Act (H.R. 7062/S. 3636).
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Federal Permitting Reform: What County Leaders Need to Know
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The County Role in Federal Permitting: A Guide for Congress
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