Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities

January 2013

ASCE releases final Failure to Act Report

Posted Wed, 2013/01/16 - 4:34pm by RCAP

By Doug Scott

As a preface to ASCE’s 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which will be released on March 19, the American Society of Civil Engineers unveiled during a teleconference on Jan. 15 its fifth and final report in the Failure to Act series, The Impact of Current Infrastructure Investment on America’s Economic Future, which addresses the comprehensive impacts of underinvesting in infrastructure in the U.S.

PBS News Hour explores wastewater treatment

Posted Wed, 2013/01/16 - 4:22pm by RCAP

The Jan. 3 PBS News Hour featured science correspondent Miles O'Brien plunging into a muck of that which rhymes with "it" to investigate our ailing country's sewage system.

Here's a written account of his story of what happened underground.

The webpage included a couple of videos:

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on continuing his service in the Obama administration

Posted Tue, 2013/01/15 - 4:57pm by RCAP

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2013 (USDA) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today regarding the announcement that he will continue his service in the Obama administration:

RCAP to Obama: Recommit to rural America in State of the Union Address

Posted Tue, 2013/01/15 - 3:03pm by RCAP

RCAP is among the organizations and groups that sent a letter to President Barack Obama on Jan. 14 asking him to affirm his administration's commitment to rural America as he prepares for his annual State of the Union Address on Feb. 12.

"We ask that in your address, you publicly commit to working with Congress to reauthorize a filll five-year Farm Bill in a way that revitalizes the rural communities that form the backbone of our heartland," the letter reads.

RCAP, along with 18 other groups, is a signatory to the letter.

Daily Yonder blog: Rural poverty rate reaches 18.3% in 2011

Posted Mon, 2013/01/14 - 12:00pm by RCAP

The Daily Yonder blog reported Jan. 8 that "the percentage of people living in poverty increased from 15.8 percent of those living in rural counties in 2007, before the recession began, to 18.3 percent in 2011."

NPR: U of Vermont becomes largest public institution to ban sale of bottled water

Posted Mon, 2013/01/14 - 11:50am by RCAP

NPR reported Jan. 14 that UVM has become the latest university to ban on-campus sales of bottled water.

Read/listen to the story

USDA highlights 2012 investments to build stronger rural communities

Posted Thu, 2013/01/10 - 5:36pm by RCAP

Rural Development helps to invest more than $30 billion to strengthen rural America

WASHINGTON (USDA) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a report Jan. 9 highlighting USDA Rural Development's fiscal year (FY) 2012 investments in job creation, businesses, infrastructure and housing for Americans living in rural communities across the nation.

Federal agencies to improve coordination of information on pharmaceuticals in drinking water

Posted Wed, 2013/01/09 - 4:39pm by RCAP

EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of the Interior have agreed to improve coordination and collaboration on issues related to pharmaceuticals in drinking water through a new memorandum of understanding.

Climate-Ready Water Utilities webinar series to begin on January 23

Posted Wed, 2013/01/09 - 4:29pm by RCAP

On January 23, EPA's Climate-Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative will begin a new series of webinars on its tools and resources to help drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities understand and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These webinars will assist the water sector in developing a better understanding of climate change, managing impacts, and creating adaptation strategies.

Webinar on changes to Consumer Confidence Reports

Posted Wed, 2013/01/09 - 4:14pm by RCAP

EPA has completed its review of the Consumer Confidence Report Rule and has concluded that drinking water utilities can provide reports about drinking water quality to customers via email or on the internet instead of mailing a copy of the report. Electronic delivery of these consumer confidence reports, which utilities are required to provide to their customers each year under the Safe Drinking Water Act, is expected to help utilities improve transparency and save resources.