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.

The New York Times ran an article on Nov. 13 about Seville, Calif., a small town in a heavily agricultural section of the state that is suffering from contaminated drinking water.

The article talks about how dirty water affects people in many parts of their daily lives - at home, at school, in caring for themselves.

This is the type of community that RCAP assists - small, rural, often minority and often living below the poverty line.