DEP Awards $1 Million To Support 73 Local Projects To Educate, Engage Youth And Adults In Improving The Environment In Their Communities

On June 1, the Department of Environmental Protection awarded over $1 million in Environmental Education Grants to 73 projects that will engage youth and adults in improving water quality and climate change resiliency in their communities. 

Fifty-five projects will serve environmental justice communities.

Schools and colleges, environmental and community organizations, and county conservation districts received funding for a broad range of educational hands-on programs for students, training and community projects for adults, and teacher training workshops.

“The Shapiro Administration is committed to delivering practical solutions to the environmental and safety issues our communities face from climate change and water pollution,” said DEP Acting Secretary Rich Negrin. “Pennsylvania’s environmental educators help provide these solutions. Through impactful work in the field, classroom, and neighborhood, they engage Pennsylvanians of all ages and backgrounds in projects that can have immediate local impacts and spark lasting environmental stewardship.”

The DEP Environmental Education Grant program prioritizes projects that engage youth or adults who live, work, or attend school in environmental justice areas. 

Funding focuses primarily on educating participants to develop and carry out practical solutions that help communities become more climate change resilient or reduce pollution to improve local water quality.

“Fully 83 percent of this grant funding supports educational projects that will benefit environmental justice communities,” said Negrin, “as we continue to expand our work to help Pennsylvanians most at risk from pollution, climate change related hazards, and other environmental impacts.”

The newly funded projects range from a farm-to-school food program in Erie to a Philadelphia faith organization’s program to train residents in cool roof coating application and solar panel installation, and many more. 

Click Here for the complete list of projects funded by region.

The Environmental Education Grants Program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, which mandates setting aside 5 percent of the pollution fines and penalties DEP collects annually for environmental education in Pennsylvania. 

DEP has awarded $13.3 million in Environmental Education Grant funding to support 2,199 projects to date.

Visit DEP’s Teaching Green webpage for more environmental education resources.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

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[Posted: June 1, 2023]  PA Environment Digest