Newsletter #1 for October 2012

You're receiving this first edition of Tribal Utility News because you signed up to be a part of our new tribal interest group or you were already listed in our Tribal Contact Manager database.

The team at SmallWaterSupply.org has partnered with RCAP to support a new Tribal Utility Governance (TUG) program and this newsletter will serve as a key communications vehicle for that project. We'll have two primary objectives with each month's delivery:

EPA Releases New Fed FUNDS Tool

A new resource site from EPA provides preparation checklists, comparison charts, and utility case studies to assist water and wastewater utilities in obtaining disaster funding.

From EPA...
"Federal Funding for Utilities - Water/Wastewater - in National Disasters (Fed FUNDS) provides tailored information to water and wastewater utilities about applicable federal disaster funding programs. The Fed FUNDS pages address national-level disasters, but could also apply to large-scale and even local disasters that result in service interruptions and significant damage to the critical water/wastewater infrastructure."

Know Your Funding Sources

Because American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal governments do not have authority to directly request emergency or disaster declarations, they are required to seek federal assistance under Presidential declarations for the states in which they are located. This makes it all the more important to know your key contacts in advance of a disaster.

Educating the next generation of tribal water stewards
Camps, other environmental education programs foster water interest, appreciation in next generation.

Tribal groups putting available funds to use
Funding exists for infrastructure improvements and other water needs of tribes.

Hydrology, environmental science degrees available at tribal colleges
Tribal colleges provide natural resource training and information.

Protecting water resources with a geographic response plan
A Geographic Response Plan is a visual tool to help first responders during emergencies.

Grant funding in action for tribal water needs
Tribes are eligible for funding under a variety of USDA programs.

Visit our blog archive for additional articles.

More News from Around the Web

In each edition of this newsletter, we'll link to some of the most interesting and relevant news articles relevant to tribal water and wastewater systems.

Alaska Native Villages Annual Report - EPA has released the 2012 report on the ANV program, a collaboration between EPA, the State of Alaska and the Alaskan Native Village Governements.

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities - Tribal governments can apply for technical assistance support from EPA and four other entities to receive tools and direct assistance in several areas.

USDA, Other Federal Partners, Meet with Tribal Leaders
This meeting, one of a series, highlighted opportunities to get involved and receive support from USDA's Rural Development program.

State of California uses EPA's CADDIS tool - Framework helps community water managers identify and address problems in local waterways.

Other Recent Blog Posts at SmallWaterSupply.org

We frequently add new articles to SmallWaterSupply.org that are relevant to water and wastewater operators and managers at any small or rural system. Here are some of our latest entries:
* Common source water deficiencies
* More math tools for small systems
* Is your institutional knowledge safe?
* 10 ways utilities are using Twitter

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