2023 Western Interstate Region Conference
About the Conference
The NACo Western Interstate Region (WIR) Conference brings together county officials from across the nation to focus on pressing issues facing counties and our residents. Each year the conference is hosted by a county within the fifteen Western states – Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming – and provides attendees with the opportunity to interact with federal, state and regional policymakers, participate in educational sessions and take home tools to address challenges.
County News
WIR showcases Utah counties
Gateway counties remain wary of National Park Service crowd control plans
Wary of the effects on their limited commercial base, gateway counties ask for more nuanced approaches to reducing overcrowding in national parks.
U.S. Senate passes Secure Rural Schools reauthorization
The Senate unanimously passed the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S.2581), a major milestone for supporting our forested counties.
Podcast: Talking with Public Lands County Leaders, Part VI
Modoc County, Calif. Supervisor Ned Coe outlines how ideas from county government have helped the U.S. Forest Service do its job.
Podcast: Talking with Public Lands County Leaders, Part V
Mariposa County, Calif. Supervisor Miles Menetrey and Eagle County, Colo. Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry discuss the coalition building necessary for counties to succeed when much of their land is managed by the National Forest Service and National Park Service.
County Countdown – September 24, 2024
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
Public lands county leaders show vision, experience
Following a busy day of Capitol Hill meetings, county public lands officials shared their insight on shared stewardship, the nature of public lands county economies and the direction the National Center for Public Lands Counties will take.