Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities
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April 2013

EPA’s 2014 budget proposal maintains the strength of core environmental and human-health protections

FY 2014 request focuses on transforming the way EPA does business

WASHINGTON (EPA) – The Obama administration proposed a fiscal year 2014 (FY 2014) budget on April 10 of $8.153 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This request is $296 million below the EPA’s budget for fiscal year 2012.

What is an onsite or decentralized wastewater system?

When water is used, it becomes contaminated and is then known as wastewater. Wastewater has to be treated so it does not harm the environment when it is returned to a body of water, such as a river or lake. In many places, especially large cities, wastewater is treated at a plant far from where it is created.

Format: 
Magazine/newsletter (single article)
Topic: 
Operations - technical operations of facilities and infrastructure
Source: 
RCAP
Audience: 
Operator
Board/council member
Mayor/town manager/elected official (local)

Huffington Post blog: The Water Challenge: A Suddenly Sexy Cause

An April 3 post on the Huffington Post's Green blog described the Second National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation taking place all this month. The post describes the growing popularity of this competition and how the race to conserve water in cities is suddenly an exciting thing.

The article reads, in part:

Huffington Post blog: The Water Challenge: A Suddenly Sexy Cause

An April 3 post on the Huffington Post's Green blog described the Second National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation taking place all this month. The post describes the growing popularity of this competition and how the race to conserve water in cities is suddenly an exciting thing.

The article reads, in part:

RCAP Southern affiliate hiring in Oklahoma

Community Resources Group, the Southern RCAP, has an opening for Operations/Management Specialist in Oklahoma.

Primary responsibilities include providing on-site technical assistance to water-supply and wastewater-disposal facilities in small communities and rural areas that are experiencing operational, managerial and/or regulatory compliance-related difficulties and problems.  The position is based in the northeast area of Oklahoma.     

Requirements and how to apply

EPA proposes to reduce toxic pollutants discharged into waterways by power plants

WASHINGTON (EPA) — In accordance with a consent decree and in line with requirements under the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a range of options to help reduce dangerous pollutants, including mercury, arsenic, lead, and selenium that are released into America’s waterways by coal ash, air pollution control waste and other waste from steam electric power plants. The proposal includes a variety of options for whether and how these different waste streams should be treated.

EPA's How's My Waterway app now has new features

EPA's app and website, How's My Waterway, helps you find information on the condition of your local waterways, what's being done to protect and restore those waterways, and what you can do to help.

And now, How's My Waterway lets people find out even more about their local waterways. The new features include search results color-coded by condition, local information on watersheds, a watershed-locator tool, and options to look up dischargers regulated by permits and individual runoff control projects for a specific waterway.

EPA webcast on using social indicators in watershed-management projects

Join EPA for a webcast on May 1, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on using social indicators in watershed-management projects.

USDA Rural Development celebrates Earth Day by Promoting water-quality projects in 32 states

WASHINGTON (USDA) – As part of USDA's Earth Day celebration, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced April 22 support for projects that will improve water and wastewater services for rural Americans and benefit the environment across the country. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. The announcement is one part of the department's efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

Ask your Representative to support HR 1632: The Building Rural Communities Act

Last week, Rep. Steve Southerland II (R-Fla.) introduced HR 1632: The Building Rural Communities Act (BRCA). The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.), William Enyart (D-Ill.), Don Young (R-Alaska), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), Steve Stockman (R-Texas), Reid Ribble (R-Wisc.), and Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.).

On April 8, Southerland used an RCAP community in Florida as the setting to announce his intentions to introduce the bill.