SolSmart
SolSmart is a national program that helps cities, towns, counties and regional organizations become solar energy ready
Sections
SolSmart is a national program that helps cities, towns, counties and regional organizations become solar energy ready!
A primary goal of SolSmart is to reduce solar “soft costs,” the non-hardware costs that include permitting, financing and installation. These costs make up about two-thirds of the cost of a solar installation. Actions that local governments take can significantly reduce soft costs to encourage solar market growth at the local level.
Interested in getting started? You can contact SolSmart directly at their website or reach out to a member of NACo's team at SolSmart@naco.org.
About
SolSmart helps local governments by providing:
- No-cost technical assistance to expand solar energy use in their jurisdictions; and
- Official recognition for solar achievements, through a SolSmart designation of Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze
By participating in the program, counties will follow national solar best practices that will lead to streamlined and efficient administrative processes, a diversified energy market and lower energy costs. More than 60 counties are participating and have received a SolSmart designation.
NACo is a proud partner of SolSmart, and we look forward to supporting county governments looking to advance solar energy in their jurisdictions.
SolSmart is co-led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office.
For more information, visit Energy-Ready.org.
Advocacy
Open for Solar Business
Counties across the country are now "open for solar business" thanks to the Department of Energy-funded SolSmart program.
County Countdown – March 25, 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 budget reconciliation, FY 2025 funding and more.
CEQ issues interim final rule on implementing NEPA regulations
On February 25, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued an interim final rule to remove existing federal regulations on P.L. 91-190, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and rescind CEQ’s authority to promulgate NEPA regulations. CEQ issued a memo on February 19 asserting that any federal agencies implementing regulations should prioritize streamlining and expediting NEPA’s permitting process. The rule is effective April 11, 2025.
EPA & U.S. Army Corps of Engineers revise Waters of the United States (WOTUS) definition
On March 12, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued a joint memorandum outlining the next steps to revise the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition under the Clean Water Act (CWA). This follows the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA, which limits the EPA’s regulatory authority over wetlands without a “continuous surface connection” to traditional navigable waters.
NACo Legal Advocacy: San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implications for the ability of county governments that own and operate wastewater treatment facilities to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements.
Counties try to keep data center development in bounds
Once a cash cow, data center development is becoming a more delicate planning issue for counties, particularly as AI use drives demand.
Interim Financial Conflict of Interest Policy
NACo upholds an up-to-date, written and enforced Financial and Organizational Conflict of Interest Policy and Management Plan. This document can be accessed here.