Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities
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May 2011

EPA releases final policy for consultation and coordination with Indian tribes

Posted Thu, 2011/05/12 - 10:35am by RCAP

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on May 4 its final policy on consultation and coordination with Indian tribes. EPA is among the first of the federal agencies to finalize its consultation policy in response to President Obama’s first tribal leaders summit in November 2009, and the issuance of executive order 13175 to establish regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal officials in the development of federal policies that have tribal implications.

Webcast on "Saving Water & Energy -- Reducing Greenhouse Gases by Improving Efficiency"

Posted Wed, 2011/05/11 - 9:36am by RCAP

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Watershed Academy will sponsor a free webcast on "Saving Water & Energy -- Reducing Greenhouse Gases by Improving Efficiency" on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT. This webcast addresses several programs in the water sector that can help communities make small changes that can lead to big reductions in greenhouse gases.

Grants available for farmers or rural small businesses

Posted Tue, 2011/05/10 - 12:04pm by RCAP

The Rural Energy for America Program is providing grant funds to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency improvements. The Rural Energy for America Program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the nation's critical energy needs. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

Newsweek: The Democrats' Last, Best Hope

Posted Mon, 2011/05/09 - 9:49am by RCAP

Newsweek magazine's online edition posted a feature article May 1 about a Democratic senator from Montana who exemplifies the Democrats' situation heading into the next election and how their prospects could hinge on rural voters. The article notes: “The math is simple: if Democrats can’t connect with small-town voters, they will lose the Senate next November—and make it difficult for President Obama, who held his own among rural Americans in 2008, to recapture states like North Carolina that put him over the top last time around.”

EPA releases Re-Energizing the Capacity Development Program Report

Posted Wed, 2011/05/04 - 11:29am by RCAP

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made available a report titled "Re-Energizing the Capacity Development Program: Findings and Best Practices from the Capacity Development Re-Energizing Workgroup." This report is the product of the workgroup’s goals to better understand EPA's drinking water program’s existing implementation efforts, evaluate roadblocks to developing capacity and identify best practices to facilitate state program implementation.

EPA marks American Wetlands Month

Posted Wed, 2011/05/04 - 11:26am by RCAP

May marks the 21st anniversary of American Wetlands Month (AWM), a time when EPA and its wetland partners across the country celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to our nation's ecological, economic, and social health. EPA and a host of other public and private partners are planning and/or participating in a number of events, including:

“Waters of the U.S.” proposed guidance

Posted Wed, 2011/05/04 - 11:20am by RCAP

Americans depend on clean and abundant water. However, over the past decade, interpretations of Supreme Court rulings removed some critical waters from federal protection and caused confusion about which waters and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act. As a result, important waters now lack clear protection under the law, and businesses and regulators face uncertainty and delay. The Obama Administration is committed to protecting waters on which the health of people, the economy and ecosystems depend.

New website tracks oil fracking operations, chemicals

Posted Mon, 2011/05/02 - 4:05pm by RCAP

There’s a new resource available on the topic of hydraulic fracturing, an area of emerging concern for drinking water protection.

FracFocus.org , a registry for hydraulic fracturing chemicals, is a joint project of the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. The website includes information on the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process as well as general educational materials.

Celebrate Drinking Water Week 2011 from May 1-7

Posted Mon, 2011/05/02 - 2:25pm by RCAP

May 1-7 is Drinking Water Week. Drinking Water Week is an annual observance of the vital role water plays in daily life. This year's theme is “Water: Celebrate the Essential,” and it highlights the work by water professionals and communities in making the U.S. water system one of the safest drinking water suppliers in the world.