Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities

October 2011

EPA develops new planning approach to improve water quality in U.S. cities

Posted Mon, 2011/10/31 - 10:27am by RCAP

WASHINGTON (EPA) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Oct. 28 a commitment to using an integrated planning process to help local governments dealing with difficult financial conditions identify opportunities to achieve clean water by controlling and managing releases of wastewater and stormwater runoff more efficiently and cost-effectively.

NPR's health blog: Surprise in your sewage: Lots of exotic viruses

Posted Wed, 2011/10/05 - 11:40am by RCAP

"Shots," NPR's health blog, posted the article below on Oct. 4. It begins:

You think your job is tough? Some scientists examined sewage from Pittsburgh, Barcelona and Addis Ababa in a hunt for unknown viruses.

They found scads. How many? At least 43,381.

EPA launches new mapping tool to improve public access to enforcement information

Posted Mon, 2011/10/03 - 11:47am by RCAP

Mapping feature supports the White House Regulatory Compliance Transparency Initiative and improves public access to information

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the release of a new mapping feature in EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database.

EPA releases final health assessment for TCE

Posted Mon, 2011/10/03 - 8:35am by RCAP

WASHINGTON (EPA) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the final health assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE) to the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. IRIS is a human health assessment program that evaluates the latest science on chemicals in our environment. The final assessment characterizes the chemical as carcinogenic to humans and as a human noncancer health hazard. This assessment will also allow for a better understanding of the risks posed to communities from exposure to TCE in soil, water and air.