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WISCAP’s Rural
Community Development Initiative (RCDI) in Wisconsin, a unique blend of
RCAP, Community Action and Tribal insight, is setting the stage for a
more holistic, environmentally oriented, approach to community and
economic development in Ashland and Bayfield Counties in northwest
Wisconsin, RCDI’s ‘target area.’
The RCDI is a
partnership between the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP)
Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP), the Northwest Wisconsin
Community Services Agency (NWCSA) (the Community Action Agency serving
NW Wisconsin) and the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of
Chippewa Indians (Bad River Tribe), Natural Resources Department.
Building on the RCAP focus on water and wastewater systems development,
a foundation for community and economic development, NWCSA adds a
dimension of job, business and economic development and the Bad River
Tribe and environmental groups contribute to environmental sensitivity
concerns.
The ‘target area’
includes: the 145,000 acre Bad River Reservation, hosting the 12,000
acre Kakagon/Bad River Sloughs, the largest freshwater estuary in the
Great Lakes; the Bad River watershed, encompassing a 1,092 square miles
area; including the White River and the pristine White River Fishery
Area, a potential site for inclusion in the state’s Knowles-Nelson
Stewardship Program – essential to protecting the National Natural
Landmark of the Kakagon and Bad Rivers and waters that enter the
Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior, the largest body of freshwater on
earth.
RCAP efforts in the
area began four years ago with two water/wastewater projects: the Bad
River Septic System Repair & Replacement Project (Ashland County); and
the Village of Mason Wastewater Collection & Treatment System
Development Project. The Bad River Project, currently underway, is
intended to repair or replace an estimated 200 failing septic systems on
the Reservation. The Mason Project, a $1.2 million wastewater system,
has been completed – the Village no longer has a 90% septic system
failure rate. Both projects contribute to an improvement of water
quality in a sensitive area.
In May 2003, the RCDI,
funded by a grant from USDA, added another dimension to RCAP and
Community Action efforts – an effort currently underway and expanding.
The RCDI program utilizes a unique comprehensive community development
‘model’ Project Good START (Small Town Assessment & Readiness
Techniques) developed by the Great Lakes RCAP for use in Ohio
communities. Good START is a planning process aimed at building a
community’s capacity to develop and implement community and economic
development projects with the active participation of community
residents. At present, both the Bad River Tribal community and the
Village of Mason have established Oversight Teams and conducted a
comprehensive community-wide survey to identify community and economic
development needs and public opinion. Forums this fall will prioritize
needs and lay the groundwork for plans to implement projects to meet
priority needs. In
Bad
River,
water/wastewater issues are a priority and RCAP is working closely with
the Natural Resources and Planning staff to address these issues. |
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