EPA Issues Emergency Orders to Four Mobile Home Parks in Thermal, Calif., to Ensure Drinking Water is Safe

Media Contact: Julia Giarmoleo, Giarmoleo.Julia@epa.gov, 213-326-2033 EPA Issues Emergency Orders to Four Mobile Home Parks in Thermal, Calif., to Ensure Drinking Water is Safe THERMAL (March. 22, 2022) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued emergency orders under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to four mobile home park water systems, requiring the mobile home park owners to comply with federal drinking water safety requirements and to identify and correct problems with their drinking water systems that present a danger to residents. The mobile home parks -- Arellano Mobile Home Park, Castro Ranch, Gonzalez Mobile Home Park, and Sandoval Mobile Home Park -- are all located on the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians’ Reservation in California.  None of the water systems were previously registered with EPA and will now be required to comply with SDWA regulations. "These emergency orders support EPA’s larger effort in the Eastern Coachella Valley to ensure all drinking water systems comply with SDWA and provide safe drinking water,” said Martha Guzman, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Mobile home park owners and all levels of government must protect the health of residents and comply with federal law.” Today’s announcement applies to four separate water systems, which EPA inspected and sampled in November 2021. The systems' current source of drinking water is groundwater that has naturally occurring arsenic. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and drinking high levels over many years can increase the chance of lung, bladder, and skin cancers, as well as heart disease, diabetes, and neurological damage. The regulatory Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic in drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). Based on the sample results, all the systems are currently serving water that exceed the arsenic MCL: Arellano Mobile Home Park: The system serves approximately 26 residents and has arsenic levels ranging from 14 ppb to 16 ppb.  Castro Ranch: The system serves approximately 40 residents and has arsenic levels ranging from 18 ppb to 19 ppb.  Gonzalez Mobile Home Park: The system serves approximately 40 residents and has arsenic levels ranging from 28 ppb to 29 ppb. Sandoval Mobile Home Park: The water system serves approximately 37 residents and has arsenic levels ranging from 15 ppb to 17 ppb. Under the terms of EPA’s emergency orders, the owners of Arellano Mobile Home Park, Castro Ranch, Gonzalez Mobile Home Park, and Sandoval Mobile Home Park are required to: provide at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day at no cost for every individual served by the system; submit and implement an EPA-approved compliance plan to reduce arsenic below the MCL; and properly monitor the systems’ water and report findings to EPA. EPA will continue to oversee the systems’ efforts to follow SDWA requirements and may levy civil penalties if the park owners fail to meet the compliance provisions in the emergency orders. The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians have no direct control or ownership of the water systems. EPA works closely with the Tribe and has consulted their leadership about the violations. For more information on EPA's drinking water program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water. Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

 

Free Certificate in Board Member Essentials

 
Do you truly believe in the cause?
 
Participation by actions are your commitment.
 
Involvement in a working group, committee (conference, fundraising, governance, etc.) are the keys to our success.
 
BEMA International
 

Earn a Free Certificate in Board Member Essentials Certificates The board of directors plays an essential role in the success of any NGO or nonprofit. Our newest free certificate program gives you critical insight into the functions of a nonprofit board and how the board of directors can help you make a greater impact in your role.  This Board Member Essentials Certificate program, co-developed with Center for Nonprofit Management, is 100% free and will increase your knowledge of: The roles and responsibilities of board members Nonprofit board operations Determining a board’s effectiveness   Let us take the mystery out of the nonprofit board. Do not miss this opportunity to earn a new certificate and digital badge to add to your CV, resume, and LinkedIn profile.     Get Started       Learner Review "Clear and concise curriculum on the purpose and function of a non-profit board. Invaluable to board members, board chairs, and senior staff." —Perry B. ★★★★★

 
 

Black Emergency Managers Association International Washington, D.C.  20020   bEMA International Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)   A 501 (c) 3 organization

“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” —Angela Davis

 

How Cuba Combats Climate Change & How U.S. Blockade Affects Cuba April 9, 2022 12-2pm PT \ 3-5pm ET

 

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO Hybrid Event: SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 12-2 pm (PST) Topic: How Cuba Combats Climate Change & How U.S. Blockade Affects Cuba In-person event: ANSWER office: 2969 Mission Street    Online/Zoom event registration: bit.ly/HelenYaffeSF Sponsoring Organizations:  ANSWER-San Francisco,  Bay Area Cuba Saving Lives Committee,  Venceremos Brigade-Bay Area

 

Farm Sector Solvency, Liquidity, and Profitability Expected to Worsen Slightly in 2022

Solvency is a measure of the ability of a farm or ranch operation to satisfy its debt obligations when due. 

Popular measures of solvency include the 

• debt-to-asset ratio, 
• debt-to-equity ratio, and 
• equity-to-asset ratio. 

In 2022, these three solvency measures are expected to slightly worsen because debt is forecast to grow at a faster rate than the value of assets.]...ERS-USDA

Assets, Debt, and Wealth
Suggested citation for linking to this discussion:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Farm Sector Income & Finances: Assets, Debt, and Wealth, February 4, 2022.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-sector-income-finances/assets-debt-and-wealth/

USDA ERS - Assets, Debt, and Wealth The farm business balance sheet reports estimates of the current market value of farm business sector assets, debt, and equity as of December 31 of a given year. It is called a "balance sheet" because of the accounting relationship: assets – debt = farm equity. Farmers and ranchers, agribusinesses and farm lenders, program administrators, policy analysts, and others often need information on ... www.ers.usda.gov

 

STOP BULLYING. Communication Tips for Parents and Caregivers March 2022

 

Communication Tips for Parents and Caregivers Talking about bullying can be difficult. For adults, it can be uncomfortable to remember experiences they had with bullying as a kid. Bullying can be traumatic . Years later, people can still feel the sting from receiving an insult or become overwhelmed with guilt and shame by the memory of hurting a friend’s feelings. This is exactly why parents and caregivers need to talk to kids about bullying. Not sure where to begin? Here are some tips that can make starting the conversation a little less awkward. Keep it casual. While you’re eating breakfast on the weekend, ask something straightforward like, “What was the best and worst thing that happened last week?” Be honest about your experiences. Share an age-appropriate story about an experience you had with bullying. Start with, “Did I ever tell you about ….?” Be sure to share how the experience made you feel at the time. Be curious. Let your kid know that you’ve been hearing about cyberbullying lately and ask if they have ever seen it. Show them you want to learn more by asking questions about things they may have witnessed and how they handled the situation. Listen without judgment. Bullying affects everyone and every situation is different. Kids can play many roles in bullying. Let them know you are there for them no matter what. Ask open-ended questions. If the child witnessed something and they aren’t sure if it was teasing or bullying, asking questions like “Do you think this incident was meant to make someone look bad?” will allow you to get more information about what happened. Stay calm. Remember, the goal is to hear about their experience, provide support, and help prevent it from happening again. If you seem angry or upset, a kid might not feel as comfortable sharing information with you. Determine if you will need to talk to the school about what your child has shared. Be supportive. If your child shares that they have bullied someone, they will need your help to learn from the experience and find healthy ways to interact with peers. Bullying is a behavior that can be changed. If you find out bullying has occurred, you, your kid's school, or community officials can work together to support your child, whether they were bullied, bullied others, or witnessed bullying. Remember to review our tips for reporting cyberbullying as well. Learn more on StopBullying.gov   More Communication Resources to Help Stop Bullying  For youth: learn how to bring up conversations about bullying with adults. Learn how to report cyberbullying. Parents, review our Talking to Your Kids About Cyberbullying: Tools for Parents guide. Parents, read our Cyberbullying Part 2: What Parents Can Do page. Visit our Bullying Prevention Training Center.

Join the Dialogue: Exploring Equitable Approaches to Ending Hunger in America March 28, 2022

  United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network

In honor of Women’s History Month and National Nutrition Month, SDSN USA is excited to invite you to Exploring Equitable Approaches to Ending Hunger in America: Food, Farming, Families, and Justice, a virtual dialogue on Monday, March 28 from 3:00 - 5:00 PM EDT.   The event is co-hosted by the SDSN USA Diversity, Equity, and Justice Working Group and Zero Hunger Pathways Project, and will bring together food justice advocates, researchers, and academics to explore the impact of historic inequities and what policies and approaches are needed to address racial and gender inequities to put the country on the pathway to zero hunger.    The conversation will focus on how sustainable food systems and agricultural practices can better support women farmers and farmworkers, engage them in decision-making, and create jobs for the future. See the attached graphic for more information on the panelists.    It's free and open to the public. Register today. We hope you can make it!   As always, you can keep up-to-date on our events at www.sdsnusa.org/events, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for regular updates!    Please reach out to usa@unsdsn.org with questions or comments.

 

 

Black Emergency Managers Association International Washington, D.C.
bEMA International Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)   A 501 (c) 3 organization     We must act as if we answer to, and only answer to, our ancestors, our children, and the unborn. — Amilcar Cabra