Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities
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March 2011

RCAP in the news: Southeast RCAP organizes volunteer trip for Boston College students

Posted Fri, 2011/03/11 - 3:42pm by RCAP

From the Roanoke Times (original posting of this article, which includes pictures)

Trading beaches for brushes: Boston College students volunteer in Roanoke to assist churches and people with disabilities

The students' trip was organized through Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, a nonprofit based in Roanoke

By Amanda Codispoti

RCAP in the news: United Way director discusses RCAP with lawmakers

Posted Fri, 2011/03/11 - 3:36pm by RCAP

The subject of this news article attended RCAP's annual fly-in in February in Washington, D.C., an organized week of visits by RCAP staff and board members of RCAP's regional partners to representatives on Capitol Hill.

From the Port Clinton (Ohio) News Herald:

Written by CATHARINE HADLEY
March 10, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The director of the local United Way chapter recently spent a week in the nation's capital, meeting with legislative officials.

RCAP in the news: United Way director discusses RCAP with lawmakers

Posted Fri, 2011/03/11 - 3:35pm by RCAP

The subject of this news article attended RCAP's annual fly-in in February in Washington, D.C., an organized week of visits by RCAP staff and board members of RCAP's regional partners to representatives on Capitol Hill.

From the Port Clinton (Ohio) News Herald:

Written by CATHARINE HADLEY
March 10, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The director of the local United Way chapter recently spent a week in the nation's capital, meeting with legislative officials.

USDA invites applications for grants to connect rural communities to broadband service

Posted Thu, 2011/03/10 - 12:39pm by RCAP

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2011 (USDA) – USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Administrator Jonathan Adelstein today announced that USDA is accepting applications for grants to provide broadband access in rural communities currently without broadband service. Joining him to make the announcement was Aneesh Chopra, Chief Technology Officer, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

UPI: U.N. says American Indians lack water

Posted Wed, 2011/03/09 - 12:35pm by RCAP

Published: March. 7, 2011 at 9:14 AM

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (UPI) -- More than 10 percent of the American Indian population doesn't have access to clean drinking water or safe wastewater disposal, a U.N. official said.

Catarina de Albuquerque, a Portuguese lawyer contracted by the United Nations to examine safe drinking water and sanitation, called on the U.S. government to do more to level the playing field for waste and water.

Office of Water accepting comments on EPA’s Retrospective Review Plan and Significant Regulations for potential review

Posted Wed, 2011/03/09 - 12:30pm by RCAP

President Obama recently issued Executive Order 13563, requiring each agency to develop a plan to periodically conduct a retrospective review of its regulations, and determine if they are ineffective, insufficient, or overly burdensome, and then revise or repeal as warranted. In response, EPA is developing a review plan and a list of candidate regulations for potential review, and it is soliciting feedback on both. In order to do so, the Office of Water is participating in two listening sessions to be held on March 14 and 17, 2011.

March 14-20 is Fix a Leak Week

Posted Tue, 2011/03/08 - 2:52pm by RCAP

Did you know that an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks?

New York Times: Wastewater recycling no cure-all in gas process

Posted Mon, 2011/03/07 - 12:03pm by RCAP

Published March 1, 2011

Full article here

By IAN URBINA

As drilling for natural gas started to climb sharply about 10 years ago, energy companies faced mounting criticism over an extraction process that involves pumping millions of gallons of water into the ground for each well and can leave significant amounts of hazardous contaminants in the water that comes back to the surface.

EPA submits for public comment the next round of Safe Drinking Water Act contaminant monitoring

Posted Mon, 2011/03/07 - 11:28am by RCAP

WASHINGTON (EPA) – As part of its commitment to implement sensible protections of drinking water for communities across the country, and as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing 30 currently unregulated contaminants for monitoring in water systems, and submitting this proposal for public comment.

EPA accepting applications for environmental education grant funding

Posted Mon, 2011/03/07 - 11:20am by RCAP

WASHINGTON (EPA) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting grant applications for $1.9 million in funding for environmental education projects and programs. The purpose of the grants is to promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers and citizens. EPA expects to award at least 20 grants nationwide ranging from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $100,000 and will accept applications until May 2, 2011.