Western Governors’ Association

Affordable housing is a top concern and was the topic of discussion during the Western Governors’ Association winter meeting in Las Vegas recently. They discussed a number of options.

Among them are incentives for risk reduction in the built environment and more sensible land use planning, as well as support for prescribed fire and workforce training.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon spoke with Wyoming Public Radio’s Caitlin Tan about his regional work as chair of an association of Western governors, and also how issues are unfolding in Wyoming, especially with regard to coal.

Reliable, high-speed internet access has long been a challenge in rural parts of the West. Recently the Western Governor’s Association sent letters to Congress to encourage efforts to improve the situation.

Some states, such as Texas and Florida, have banned protections for workers toiling in high heat. But in the West, establishing standards and procedures for extreme heat days is a priority, and not just for those who have to work outside.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Native American women are murdered at a rate ten times higher than the national average. How can state, federal, and tribal groups work together to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis?

Governors from across the West and some special guests are coming together this week to talk about key issues facing the region.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new $1 billion grant program this week to help communities facing wildfire risks. Grants for wildfire protection planning or outreach can be up to $250,000. Affiliated infrastructure and resilience projects can get grants of up to $10 million.

Governors around the West are expressing alarm over a new Trump administration directive that lifts a rule requiring energy companies to pay for any…

The Endangered Species Act was under Senate scrutiny Wednesday, when the Environment and Public Works Committee met to discuss how to reform the law.…