How to Champion Your Coal Community’s Natural Resources
Available On-Demand
This webinar is available on-demand. If you have issue accessing the recording, please email nacomeetings@naco.org.
Join the BRECC National Network this November to learn how coal communities are balancing resource conservation and economic development. This session will highlight how coal-impacted communities can leverage public lands, natural resources and federal partnerships in order to successfully champion the needs of their community. This BRECC National Network Session will feature the Conservation Fund’s “Activation Program” and community leaders embracing a multi-point approach to natural resource economies.
Watch Recording
Miles Kirksey
Jessie Powers
Gabe Perkins
Featured Initiative
Building Resilient Economies in Coal Communities
The Building Resilient Economies in Coal Communities initiative connected coal communities, supported local leaders and built capacity in under-resourced communities to advance new approaches and projects for economic diversification.
U.S. Department of Agriculture announces reorganization
On July 24, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a major reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will relocate thousands of federal employees, restructure regional offices and consolidate administrative services and operations. The changes are expected to reduce USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C. and shift more personnel to regional hubs across the country.
Chips, Compute and Counties
NACo CEO Matt Chase: "The fundamentals remain the same [when it comes to data centers]: demand a seat at the table, study the supply chain, understand the financing capital stacks, ask hard questions and fight for a deal that leaves your community better off — not used and abused."
Water matters for data centers
Data centers often cluster in a few places, need treated water and use the most when demand is already high in hot weather. This growing demand is driving data center development nationwide, accelerating local proposals and the importance for county officials to understand impacts to energy, land and water resources.
County leaders push for a voice in data center regulation authority
County officials in states like West Virginia and Texas are limited in their ability to regulate data centers while still held accountable by their residents.
The "Backslash Backlash:" Counties pivot in the data center buildout
Data center development across the country has put a new focus on county policies, how they regulate land use and more for local residents and how they could shape the path for economic growth built around artificial intelligence and information technology.
U.S. Senators introduce bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program through 2029
U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2026 (S. XXXX). The bill would reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program through fiscal year (FY) 2029 and provide critical fiscal certainty for timber-dependent communities in more than 700 counties nationwide that are home to National Forests. The U.S. Forest Service-administered program supports essential government services such as roads, public education and law enforcement.