RCAP Applauds New Administration Initiative to Remove Lead Service Lines
Washington D.C. (December 16, 2021) – The Biden Administration announced the launch of a Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan to deliver clean drinking water through the replacement of lead pipes across the country. The Rural Community Assistance Partnership’s (RCAP) CEO Nathan Ohle attended a launch event for this initiative at the White House hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan.
“RCAP supports this administration’s efforts to remove lead pipes and other harmful contaminants from our nation’s drinking water, said Ohle. The small rural and indigenous communities served by RCAP are disproportionately harmed by contaminated drinking water issues. It is critical for the federal government to provide funding for the technical assistance (TA) and training necessary to mitigate these risks and keep our communities safe. RCAP will work in partnership with the EPA and other federal partners to provide this needed TA and training to small systems across the country to build local capacity to address these issues.”
RCAP and its partners have a deep history working with overburdened and under-resourced small and rural communities in all 50 states, the U.S. Territories, and on tribal lands. Last year, RCAP provided assistance that benefited more than 3.4 million rural residents, including 1.1 million people of color, and almost 300,000 tribal members. With a specific focus on the smallest and most disadvantaged communities, RCAP’s work served communities with an average population close to 1,500, and with an average median household income (MHI) of $38,007, just over half the national average.
The launch of today’s Action Plan will go a long way towards achieving environmental justice and health equity for the communities we serve. RCAP applauds Vice President Harris, Administrator Regan, Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox and the countless others involved with spearheading these efforts.
Learn more about the action plan announcement from the White House here.