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RCAC's Network News January 2012
Volume XXX, Number 1
In this Issue
Environmental News
Protect your drinking water by reducing persistent pollution
By RosAnna Noval, RCAC Rural Development Specialist – Environmental
Water cycle basics are easy to understand. Rain falls from the sky and makes its way to lakes, rivers and oceans. Water in lakes, rivers and oceans evaporates and rises back into the clouds, only to fall as rain somewhere else on the planet. However, this is only part of the cycle. Read More>>
Study finds probable carcinogen in tap water of 31 U.S. cities
By Lyndsey Layton, The Washington Post
A new analysis showing the presence of a probable carcinogens in the tap water of 31 cities across the country has raised questions about possible risks posed to consumers in those communities and how they can reduce their exposure. Read more>>
The nation’s water under attack
From Wildlife Promise
Clean water is an essential part of life. Currently law makers are threatening our clean water by trying to reduce the impact of the Clean Water Act by taking away more power from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Read More>>
Lodi council to decide who will operate $36M water plant
By Keith Reid, Recordnet.com
The Lodi City Council will decide who will staff its $36 million surface-water treatment facility at a special meeting. The council could decide to operate the plant with city employees or opt to hire one of two private companies that specialize in water works operations. The SouthWest Water Co. and Veolia Water North America have submitted staffing proposals that will rival Lodi's own plan to operate the plant. Read More>>
Housing
RCAC rural development specialist receives award for his commitment to affordable housing
Richard Walker, RCAC rural development specialist – housing in Utah, received the Person of the Year award at the Utah Housing Coalition’s annual housing conference on Oct. 4. The award is given to individuals in the Utah housing community who have shown leadership, and innovation, or went beyond his/her call of service to advocate, preserve and grow affordable housing capacity in Utah. In addition, all seven of RCAC’s U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Mutual Self-Help grantees in Utah were awarded Project of the Year! Read the recent article on the awards presentation in The Salt Lake Tribune >>
The future is now
By Alex Breitler, Recordnet.com
Net zero energy homes aim to produce, conserve as much energy as their owners use and they're being built today along Farmington Road east of Highway 99. You won't see lots of gadgets and gizmos on the walls - these are regular homes where regular families should enjoy an irregularly small electric bill. For more information about these net zero homes click here>>
Art Gonzales and SEWHC of Racine County – 41 Years of Self-Help Housing
(Reprinted with permission from NCALL)
In November 2011, Art Gonzales and Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Corporation (SEWHC) of Racine County discontinued their self-help housing program. This decision was not an easy one for the staff and board of SEWHC, but the economy in their area made the program no longer feasible. They are continuing to look for other alternatives that might enable them to provide affordable housing to those in need. Read more about their achievements>>
Loan Fund
28 CARS™-Rated CDFIs awarded grants from Create Jobs for USA Fund
CARS™, the CDFI Assessment and Ratings System, is pleased to announce that 28 of its top-rated CDFIs are the first recipients of capital grants from Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network’s (OFN) Create Jobs for USA Fund. Only a subset of the highest CARS™-rated community development financial institutions (CDFIs) received invitations to apply in the initial funding round. Read more>>
Create Jobs for USA Fund surpasses $1 Million in Donations since Nov. 1 Launch
Starbucks Coffee Company and Opportunity Finance Network announced that the Create Jobs for USA Fund has surpassed $1 million in donations within the first two weeks of the program’s November 1st launch. To date, $6 million has been contributed to the Create Jobs for USA Fund, which includes a $5 million donation from the Starbucks Foundation to seed this initiative. Read more>>
The future of rural rental housing finance
By Ginger McGuire, senior vice president, Lancaster Pollard
Federal budget recommendations and legislative proposals are raising questions about the future of federal financial support for rural affordable rental housing projects and about how these much-needed developments will be funded in coming years. Read more>>
RCAC Loan Fund lends more than $7.7 million in rural communities
In its fourth quarter ending Sept. 30, RCAC lent more than $7.7 million to rural communities in California, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah and Washington to finance important community projects. All told, in Fiscal Year 2011 RCAC closed 39 loans which totaled $22,961,392 in 10 states; and supported 4,942 individual water and wastewater connections for rural residents; 460 housing units; 50,466 feet of community facility space; and created or retained 235 jobs. Read more>>
Eye on Policy
Feinstein, Snowe, Bingaman introduce bill to lower energy costs
U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced legislation today to cut Americans’ energy bills, catalyze the construction industry, reduce pollution and secure the nation’s energy future. The Cut Energy Bills at Home Act provides a 30 percent tax credit for Americans to reduce their energy consumption and costs by making their homes energy efficient. Read more>>
Environmental, taxpayer, and free enterprise advocates join Blumenauer to release reform proposals for the Farm Bill
Leaders from the environmental, taxpayer and free enterprise communities joined Rep. Earl Blumenauer to unveil a vision for common-sense reforms to the Farm Bill. The report, titled Growing Opportunities: Family Farm Values for Reforming the Farm Bill, offers a roadmap to wiser use of taxpayer dollars to support small and medium farmers and ranchers while cutting wasteful spending in the form of handouts to big agribusinesses. Read more>>
General News
Supplemental Poverty Measure: Understanding the change in rural (non-metro) poverty estimates
From Housing Assistance Council (HAC)
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released a new “supplemental” poverty measure. This new measure represents a Census Bureau attempt to address some of the limitations associated with the official poverty estimate measure, which was created in the 1960s. It should be noted that the supplemental measure is not intended to replace the current and official poverty measure, which an estimated 82 federal programs use as a factor in allocating funding. Read more>>
Former pineapple plant continues to bear fruit
By Jennifer Siegel, RCAC rural development specialist - housing
and Kevin Baughman, RCAC rural development specialist - environmental
When a longtime pineapple producer closed operations and departed from Kunia, Hawaii, in 2008, the future of the affordable housing units on the site was in doubt. Under the terms of the decades-old land lease, the housing was required to be demolished and the land returned to its original state. To read this article and others on successful projects that have improved opportunities for both affordable housing and water and waste services for low-income rural families and communities, download the joint issue of Rural Matters and Rural Voices, entitled “Housing and Water: The Critical Connection” >>
Postal service delays closing processing centers and post offices
By Tiffany Hsu, The Los Angeles Times
The beleaguered U.S. Postal Service is putting off plans for heavy cuts as it waits for Congress to decide whether to afford it more autonomy. The Postal Service, has been losing money for five years, and had plan on shutting more than 200 mail processing centers. Instead of starting to close hundreds of mail processing centers and thousands of post offices in April, the postal service said a group of legislators asked it to delay the moves until May 15. The quasi-public service, which gets no tax money from the government but is beholden to congressional oversight, is awaiting the fate of a bill that could give it more leeway to raise prices and modify its operations. Read more>>
Oddz N Ends
Check out the latest RCAP videos
Recently, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) posted 19 videos to Vimeo.com. These videos range from an introduction to RCAP to an overview of guidebooks. If you would like to view these videos click here>>
RCAP produces new guides for small community systems
RCAP also has several guides for small community utilities on their website to view or download. To view the guides click here >>
The Source Water Collaborative releases a new create-your-own guide
With this new create-your-own guide from the Source Water Collaborative, you can create a brochure designed specifically to educate decision makers in your community about protecting sources of drinking water. This can be the topic that helps spur further discussions about taking small steps towards a more sustainable water supply. Get Started Here>>
EPA releases report titled Surface Water Treatment Rules What Do They Mean to You?
This guide presents an overview of the Surface Water Treatment Rules (SWTRs) requirements. For more information and to download the guide click here>>