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.
New Law Brings Long-Sought Transparency to FEMA Disaster Reimbursements
A new federal law requires FEMA to publish a publicly accessible, interactive dashboard tracking all Public Assistance reimbursement requests, giving counties unprecedented visibility into disaster recovery funding.
Reflections on federalism at America 250
NACo CEO Matt Chase: "Counties are where federal and state policy stops being policy and starts being real. We are not a delivery mechanism for decisions made elsewhere. We are where American governance actually lives."
NACo joins letters calling on Congress to support water infrastructure funding and reauthorization
In April, NACo, alongside coalition partners representing local governments and water groups, sent two letters to Congress highlighting the importance of sustained federal investment in water infrastructure for counties and communities nationwide.
House clears budget resolution, advancing Reconciliation 2.0 to fund DHS and CBP
On April 21, U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) unveiled a budget resolution to advance a party-line reconciliation package focused on immigration enforcement and funding for agencies within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The resolution is the first step in a two-part process aimed at producing final legislation by June 1.
House passes the 2026 Farm Bill with key county priorities
On April 30, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) by a vote of 224–200.
EPA announces new PFAS education initiative for water systems
On April 14, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the PFAS OUT initiative to help water systems proactively tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in drinking water. PFAS OUT is an outreach initiative that will connect water system managers with resources to better understand and tackle PFAS pollution ahead of upcoming regulatory deadlines.
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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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