Federal OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is the administrative body created by the OSHA Act of 1970. OSHA provides a number of services including encouraging employers and employees to reduce their workplace hazards by implementing safety and health programs, establishing job training, and maintaining reports and recordkeeping systems in order to monitor job-related injuries and illnesses. OSHA also provides research in occupational safety and health and has established responsibility rights for both employers and employees in order to achieve safer working conditions. OSHA enforces mandatory job safety through the development, analysis, evaluation and approval of occupational safety and health programs. To learn more please go to their website at www.osha.gov.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began its operation in 1970. The EPA strives to protect human health and the environment through federal laws. Their main purpose is to ensure that, "All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where they live, learn and work." To learn more please go to their website at www.epa.gov.

The State of Colorado home page provides detailed information about the state such as history, geography, taxes, etc., as well as government press releases, meeting notices, links to state government agencies, and community pages specializing in the events of cities and towns across Colorado. Other links include road and air pollution conditions, weather notices, employment opportunities, education, and tourism and recreation. To learn more please go their website at www.state.co.us.

Each year, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) manages a 9,137 mile highway system throughout Colorado that includes 3,517 bridges and over 20 billion vehicle miles of travel. Forty percent of Colorado travel takes place over CDOT's highways. During the winter, CDOT employees plow over 5,840,000 miles of highway. They also repair potholes and road damage with the use of 295,195 tons of asphalt. CDOT's mission is to, "Provide the best possible multi-modal transportation system for Colorado that most effectively moves people, goods and information." To learn more please go to their website at www.dot.state.co.us.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has forged the path for fire safety since 1896. This international nonprofit organization promotes research, standards, and education to reduce the burden of fire on the quality of life. The NFPA publishes the National Fire Codes; 275 codes and standards covering all areas of fire protection and used in almost every country in the world. Every structure standing today is affected by these fire codes and standards. To learn more please go to their website at www.nfpa.org.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a government agency within the United States Department of Agriculture which has the power to loan money to rural electric systems in the country. Most rural electric systems receive RUS insured loans. Every cent of an RUS loan is repaid with interest over a 35-year period. To learn more, please go to their website at www.usda.gov/rus/home/home.htm.