skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, March 17, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Judge in Alien Enemies Act case chides DOJ lawyer over refusal to answer key questions about deportations; National Park layoffs impact AR economy; Experts say cuts to NOAA could impact MT fire, weather warnings; Alarming violence rates continue against Indigenous women.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump Administration fights a court order on deportation flights, as lawyers say the government is overreaching on expelling migrants, and NOAA cuts could spell trouble for those concerned about weather emergencies.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Farmers worry promised federal reimbursements aren't coming while fears mount that the Trump administration's efforts to raise cash means the sale of public lands, and rural America's shortage of doctors has many physicians skipping retirement.

Study: Rural Communities Could Struggle to Access Infrastructure Dollars

play audio
Play

Monday, February 14, 2022   

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress is directing a historic amount of funds to climate resilience. But some rural communities risk being left behind on these investments.

Headwaters Economics, which is based in Montana, has created a map of areas that could struggle to compete for climate resilience funds.

Patty Hernandez, director of the organization, hopes communities use the Rural Capacity Index to advocate for resources. She described what can limit communities' capacity to access funding.

"Some of the factors that create those barriers," said Hernandez, "have to do with local staffing and technical expertise that enables communities to do the planning and figure out what are the revenue streams to fund the projects that need to happen to keep communities safe."

Headwaters Economics also measured factors like civic engagement and voter turnout, which signal the ability of community members to engage in local decision-making. The infrastructure law include $47 billion to help communities prepare for extreme droughts, fires, floods and storms.

Hernandez said Montana stands out for its capacity limitations. Indigenous communities, like Browning and Lame Deer, lack the resources to access funding at a far higher rate than other communities and also are at high risk of floods and wildfires.

She said Montana communities that are being discovered as outdoor recreation destinations - which is creating high demand for housing - are in similar situations.

"So it's really important to be able to look at where social and economic vulnerability, climate risk and capacity limitations are all occurring in the same community," said Hernandez.

Hernandez said it's important for federal and state infrastructure programs to keep this in mind and that funding for technical assistance is another key. She said these entities also should encourage applications from across multiple jurisdictions.

"The most effective projects for addressing climate change, like reducing flood and wildfire risk often involve regional solutions," said Hernandez. "So the dollars actually go further when smaller and mid-sized or larger communities band together."

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.



get more stories like this via email
more stories
Trash 2 Trends designers create runway looks from items headed to the landfill. Proceeds from the event fund recycling initiatives, litter prevention and community beautification in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Environment

play sound

What if your trash could be the key to a more sustainable wardrobe? The group Keep Orlando Beautiful is proving it is possible with its annual "Trash…


Social Issues

play sound

As the Trump administration continues to implement aggressive immigration policies, many Hispanic residents in Florida, a key voting bloc for Trump…

Social Issues

play sound

Cuts to the U.S. education system are expected to create a profound ripple effect on students and staff in Hamtramck's already struggling school …


Bobcats are elusive, native predators known for their sharp senses and solitary nature, typically hunting at dawn or dusk. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Indiana's Natural Resources Commission will decide this week whether to allow bobcat trapping, giving Hoosiers one last chance to weigh in. The …

Environment

play sound

Local leaders in California are slamming the Trump administration's moves to gut dozens of environmental policies on climate change and pollution in l…

PVC pipes are commonly joined by elastomeric sealing connections or solvent cement. These solvent cements can expose workers to hazardous chemicals such as tetrahydrofuran, a carcinogen. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Ohioans are seeing changes in their water infrastructure as cities work to replace lead service lines, a requirement under federal regulations…

Environment

play sound

Clean-energy advocates in Texas are closely monitoring a bill before the Legislature that, if passed, could stop the development and operation of …

Environment

play sound

The Sierra Club is taking the Trump administration to court, joining a slew of legal challenges over the mass firings of federal workers. Sierra …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021