Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Improving the quality of life in rural communities
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December 2009

EPA seeks applications for environmental community grants

Posted Tue, 2009/12/29 - 3:22pm by RCAP

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making $2 million available in 2010 to reduce pollution at the local level through the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. CARE is a community-based program that works with county and local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations and universities to help the public understand and reduce toxic risks from numerous sources.

EPA seeks comments on document for small public water systems

Posted Wed, 2009/12/16 - 3:15pm by RCAP

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted for public comment a draft of "Control and Mitigation of Drinking Water Losses in Distribution Systems," a guidance document intended to assist small public water systems in control of losses of drinking water in water distribution systems.

2010 Rural Matters production schedule

Posted Wed, 2009/12/16 - 9:51am by RCAP

Starting in 2010, Rural Matters will be produced six times per year instead of four times per year.
 
Each issue is 24 pages (with cover)
 
1 January-February
Theme: Economic stimulus funds (Recovery Act)
Articles due to national office: January 22
Printing and mailing: February 15 (16)
 
2 March-April
Theme: Green issue
Articles due to national office: March 26
Printing and mailing: April 19

Study finds hundreds of pollutants in nation’s tap water

Posted Tue, 2009/12/15 - 3:17pm by RCAP

WASHINGTON, DC - Tap water in many large metropolitan areas is polluted with a cocktail of chemical contaminants. These pollutants usually don't violate any legal standards, but they often come in potentially toxic combinations that raise serious questions about the long-term safety of drinking the water. Pensacola, Fla.; Riverside, Calif.; and Las Vegas top the list of major cities with the most contaminated tap water.

Writers guidelines and photo-taking tips for Rural Matters

Posted Tue, 2009/12/15 - 3:06pm by RCAP

Writers guidelines

Article length: Feature articles are usually between 1,200 and 2,700 words.

Content: It is important that articles cover the 5 Ws of journalism: who, what, where, when, and why. But given the nature of Rural Matters, that it is a communications vehicle to share experiences and best practices, the most effective articles concentrate on the why and how of the story. For example:

Drinking Water and Wastewater Program for Small Communities

Posted Mon, 2009/12/14 - 2:42pm by RCAP

There are two parts of this program:

The Safety and Security Training and Technical Assistance project

Posted Thu, 2009/12/10 - 1:26pm by RCAP

Funded by the Office of Community Services of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services ($400,000 annually) 

New EPA website for energy efficiency and renewable energy at water and wastewater facilities

Posted Wed, 2009/12/09 - 11:03am by RCAP

A new section on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website for energy efficiency and renewable energy at water and wastewater facilities has been launched. The site, at www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/energyefficiency.htm, falls under the sustainable infrastructure umbrella.
 
The site includes energy-auditing tools, energy efficiency best practices, alternative energy information, funding sources, training resources and more.

Technitrain program

Posted Tue, 2009/12/08 - 9:36am by RCAP
ARRA funds extend reach of RCAP's regular Technitrain program

In the spring of 2010, RCAP received a $5 million grant of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds through the U.S.

RCAP staff meet with EPA's Peter Silva

Posted Mon, 2009/12/07 - 4:01pm by RCAP

A group of RCAP staff had a brief "meet-and-greet" meeting with Peter Silva, the Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on Dec. 4 at Silva's office in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meeting was to speak about RCAP's programs, introduce themselves, and to meet the relatively new head of one of the offices that RCAP relates to in its EPA-funded programs. During the conversation about RCAP's work, one topic that was discussed was decentralized waste water systems.