Western Governors request federal agencies offer coordinated support for western rural counties and municipalities as they respond to COVID-19. The outreach to Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Pete T. Gaynor notes that rural communities are working to establish local emergency operation centers, but “limited staff capacity" creates challenges. "One of the most significant resources you have is the thousands of federal civil servants with relevant experience to assist with emergency response," notes the letter of April 1, 2020 signed by WGA Chair North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Vice Chair Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.
