DEP Invests Over $1 Million In 46 Environmental Education Projects, Supporting Summer Camps, Field Research, Classroom To Creek Learning Across PA; Next Grant Round Opens In August

On April 30, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the award of $1,019,523 in grants to 46 projects that will bring environmental education to life for Pennsylvanians-- from summer camps and streamside field research to schoolyard gardens, outdoor classrooms, and community workshops across the Commonwealth.

In total, the 46 projects will deliver hands-on environmental learning in classrooms, parks, waterways, and neighborhoods across Pennsylvania-- including summer camps focused on watersheds and climate resilience, student-led air and water quality research, outdoor classrooms and schoolyard gardens, and community workshops on conservation and sustainability. 

All types of communities benefit from EE Grants Program funding, with priority given to projects delivering meaningful environmental education to people who live, work, recreate, and/or attend school in environmental justice and/or underserved areas. 

This year, 35 projects will serve environmental justice areas and communities, expanding access to these opportunities statewide.

“Environmental education is lifelong learning, and whether you are a kid or a kid at heart these projects will help connect you to the ways we can protect the air we breathe and the water we drink,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Nearly every grant we are awarding will support people in environmental justice communities to improve educational opportunities and people’s connections to their environment.”

Individual Grants

Individual grants were awarded in Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland Counties.

Click Here for a list of grants awarded.

Grants Serving Multiple Counties

In addition to individual grants, 13 grants were awarded serving multiple counties. They include--

-- Pennsylvania Envirothon Inc.: $55,173 for the “Pennsylvania Envirothon,” Started and organized in Pennsylvania by county conservation districts, the Envirothon is now one of the longest-running, hands-on environmental education programs, training high school students in five STEELS-aligned topics: Soils/Land Use, Aquatic Ecology, Wildlife, Forestry, and Current Environmental Issues such as climate change and water quality. (Statewide) 

There are now Envirothon competitions across the United States and in other countries.

-- Chester County Economic Development Foundation (CCEDF): $64,982 for CCEDF to launch “The Climate Connect: PA's Weather and Air Quality Explorers,” a statewide program engaging students in grades K-8 with hands-on environmental learning through the installation of portable weather and air-quality stations, interactive related educational lessons, and real-time data collection.(Statewide)

-- Pennsylvania Resources Council, Inc: $22,485 for “Zero Waste at Home.” PRC will conduct eight Zero Waste at Home workshops for adult residents in Environmental Justice communities in Southeastern and Southwestern Pennsylvania. 

The program addresses common barriers to sustainable living by providing practical, low-cost strategies to reduce household waste and consumption. (Beaver, Fayette, Allegheny, and Delaware counties)

-- The Watersmith Guild, Inc.: $28,894 for the “First Waves Regional Series” program that fuses paddleboarding, river exploration, conservation, and the art of filmmaking with hands-on environmental education to engage underserved youth across Western Pennsylvania. 

Through 20 workshops and 65 non-formal education modules, students explore waterways, conduct citizen science research, study connections between air, land, and water quality, and create their own environmental documentaries. (Cambria, Erie, Allegheny, Beaver, and Indiana counties)

-- Pennsylvania State University: $30,000 for the “Supporting the Robust Environmental Education Pipeline Within Science-U Summer Camps,” project which strengthens Science-U’s Environmental Education Pipeline by delivering cohesive, grade-aligned environmental learning for students in grades 2–12. 

Updated 2026 programming includes Earth Keepers, Eco Investigators, Middle School Ecology, and ArtLab, each offering hands-on field studies, STEELS-aligned lessons, and citizen science investigations. (Centre and Huntingdon counties)

-- Lower Merion Conservancy: $30,000 for “Growing Greener Communities: Building Resilient Neighborhoods Through Partnership and Education,” an environmental education initiative that teaches community members how green landscaping can conserve and build soil, create habitat, sequester carbon, and improve water quality. (Delaware, Philadelphia, and Montgomery counties) 

-- The Pennsylvania State University: $64,125 for “The Penn State K-12 Sustainability Summit,” which will bring together 50 education leaders from 25 school districts and Intermediate Units to strengthen K12-University partnerships for sustainability. 

This third annual two-day event will support educators in advancing STEELS standards, pursuing PDE Pathways to Green Schools recognition, and collaborating on curricular projects. (Huntingdon and Centre counties)

-- Allentown City School District: $12,543 for the “Third Grade Climate Camp Water Data Detectives: Comparing PA Ecosystems” program. Third grade students at Central STREAM Academy will compare climate and water quality across three environments: Jordan Park, Hawk Mountain, and Lake Nockamixon, through field-based data collection using multiparameter kits. (Lehigh, Berks, and Bucks counties)

-- BLaST Intermediate Unit 17: $29,870 for BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 to lead “Cross Connectors: Environmental Education for Real World Application,” a formal education initiative designed to connect high school, grades 9-12, and college students through environmental literacy, watershed awareness, and community action projects. (Lycoming and Bradford counties)

-- Spirit and Truth Fellowship: $29,897 for “Faith-based Climate Justice Education Initiative in Philadelphia.” The Climate Witness Project (CWP), operating out of Spirit and Truth Fellowship (STF), will work with partners in the low-income community of Hunting Park (HP), Philadelphia to (a) run three more bilingual 10-wk solar installer vocational training courses prioritizing local residents; and (b) run one 4-wk course to train residents in applying cool roof coatings. (Philadelphia and Delaware counties)

-- California Area School District: $29,823 for “Teaching Sustainability Through Honeybee Behavior and Genetics” workshops. California Area School District, with three partner districts, will lead nine monthly workshops on honeybee science and environmental education. 

Aligned with PA STEELS standards, sessions will use honeybee behavior and data to explore environmental challenges through hands-on experiments and expert guidance. (Washington and Allegheny counties) 

-- Women for a Healthy Environment: $30,000 for the implementation of the “Eco-Student Stewardship Program (ESSP)” for grades 6-12 in PA Environmental Justice communities. ESSP is aligned to PA STEELS standards and will be implemented through school- and community-based workshops. 

Workshops will cover topics including: Clean & Safe Water, Air Quality & Climate Change, and Waste, students will conduct hands-on investigations, interpret data, and design a student-led Community Service Learning (CSL) project. (Westmoreland and Allegheny counties) 

-- Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc.: $20,347 for “Environmental Education.” PIC Water Wise Summer Camp is a 10-day educational program in Lemont Furnace, PA, for 20 middle school students in Westmoreland or Fayette County School Districts to explore the importance of healthy waterways. (Westmoreland and Fayette counties) 

Background On Program 

Established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, the Environmental Education (EE) Grants Program dedicates five percent of DEP-imposed pollution fines and penalties to Pennsylvania’s environmental education. 

To date, the program has awarded more than $16.1 million to approximately 2,370 projects. 

Grant-funded projects explain the effects of human impact on the land, water, and air and empower individuals and communities to protect the quality of life guaranteed by Pennsylvania’s Constitution.  

Awarded projects provide participants with unique immersive field experiences, engage communities in practical conservation projects, support educators in developing STEELS  standards-based curriculum, and more. 

Next Grant Round

The EE Grants Program anticipates accepting applications in August 2026 with a submission deadline of mid-November 2026, and project implementation July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028.

Visit DEP’s Environmental Education Grants Program webpage to learn more about this program.

Click Here for the DEP announcement.

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

[Posted: April 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

Penn State Extension To Host Keystones Of Ag Best Management Practices In-Person Workshop June 3-4 In State College

Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training will hold the Keystones of Ag Best Management Practices June 3-4 at the Hilton Garden Inn State College. 

This in-person workshop will help conservation professionals explore conservation best management practices and strategies with experts. 

This course is intended for conservation district staff working with the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) or other agricultural conservation programs, agricultural conservation professionals in the public, private and nonprofit organization sectors, or anyone interested in learning more about agricultural conservation best management practices. 

Among other topics, the workshop will cover: 

-- Overviews of online resources used to conduct an aerial image survey. 

-- Identification of resource concerns on agricultural lands. 

-- Introduction to agricultural conservation best management practices. 

-- In-field fundamentals of agricultural conservation technical assistance. 

Organizers note that space is limited, so preregistration is required. Participants can preregister by May 31 for a fee of $60. 

The Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training at Penn State Extension is funded through the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program and similar funding programs administered by the State Conservation Commission. 

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Visit the Keystones of Ag Best Management Practices webpage to register and for more information.

[Posted: April 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

Call For Presentations: Delaware River Watershed Forum, Sept. 29-30 University Of Delaware; May 7 Webinar On Submitting Proposals

The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed is now accepting presentation proposals for the 2026 Delaware River Watershed Forum to be held September 29-30 at the University of Delaware in Newark.  The deadline for submissions is May 29.

Proposals are being accepted for sessions and field trips that highlight collaboration, innovative approaches, and actionable solutions aligned with one of three tracks--

-- Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

-- Advancing Policy & Advocating for Basin Protections

-- Science, Restoration & Resilience

May 7 Webinar

The Coalition will hold an online RFP Lab Info Session webinar May 7 starting at Noon for individuals interested in submitting proposals.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Click Here to view the Request for Proposals.  Questions should be directed to Meagan Schaefer at: Meagan.Schaefer@delriverwatershed.org. 

Visit the 2026 Delaware River Watershed Forum webpage for more information on this special event.

[Posted: April 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Hosts May 7 Webinar On Licensing Water Well Drillers To Enhance Drinking Water Safety

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers will host a May 7 webinar on licensing water well drillers to enhance drinking water safety and strengthen public health from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Private water wells are the primary source of drinking water for millions of Pennsylvanians. 

Yet, the Commonwealth is one of only two states to not enforce industry standards for well siting and construction and only one of three states that does not have statewide industry licensing requirements. 

The proper siting and construction of private wells is critical for safeguarding water quality and protecting public health.   

Professional licensing for private water well drillers would strengthen accountability within the industry; ensure industry construction and siting standards are upheld; and establish much-needed consumer protections.

On April 27, the House Professional Licensure Committee unanimously reported out House Bill 2302 (Takac-D-Centre, Moul-R-Adams) bipartisan legislation requiring the licensing of water, geothermal, geotechnical well drillers (sponsor summary).  [Read more here.]

Join DCNR’s Director of Policy, Nicole Faraguna, to learn more about this important initiative to improve consumer protections and industry accountability while protecting public health and safety.

Click Here to register and for more information.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and help available to community-based watershed organizations, visit the PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers website.  Follow them on Facebook.

Related Article This Week:

-- House Committee Unanimously Reports Out Bipartisan Bill To License Water, Geothermal, Geotechnical Well Drillers  [PaEN] 

[Posted: April 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

CBF: PA Supreme Court Ruling Local Stormwater Management Charges Are A Tax Is A 'Gut-Punch' To Clean Water Efforts

On April 30, the PA Supreme Court released a decision saying a charge to manage stormwater that was applied to a state university is a tax, as opposed to a fee, is a major setback in reducing polluted runoff and flooding while working for cleaner rivers and streams, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The PA Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the Commonwealth Court in 2023 that the Borough of West Chester’s stormwater charge applied to West Chester University of Pennsylvania property within the borough is to be considered a tax, not a fee.

Click Here for a copy of the decision.

The decision could open the door to allowing all Commonwealth properties to be exempt from any stormwater utility fees. 

These unpaid fees would then eventually fall on private citizen ratepayers, leaving everyday Pennsylvanians on the hook to make up the difference, said CBF.

As heavy rainfall flows over hard surfaces like roads and parking lots, it picks up oil, grease, dirt, and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus and washes it into nearby rivers and streams. 

Stormwater fees pay for projects that reduce pollution and flooding by better controlling this dangerous runoff. 

Threats from outdated, undersized, and dilapidated stormwater infrastructure go beyond stream pollution. 

It can worsen flooding in roads and basements, sweep away property, and even endanger public safety. 

That damage will only increase as precipitation continues to intensify due to climate change.   

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President for Litigation and General Counsel Paul Smail issued the following statement:

“This is a gut punch to everyone working for cleaner rivers and streams in Pennsylvania. Every resident in the Commonwealth deserves clean streams and a clean environment, and thousands of Pennsylvanians pay stormwater utility fees to help manage polluted runoff.

“It’s unacceptable that institutions benefitting from work to prevent pollution and flooding do not want to pay their fair share. 

“We look forward to working with the General Assembly and Administration to make sure that they do just that.”

In July of 2023, CBF filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to reverse the lower court’s decision.

The brief stated that “the State’s properties discharge large quantities of polluted stormwater, not just in West Chester Borough. The Commonwealth’s opposition to paying any stormwater utility fees while simultaneously administering a stormwater compliance system admonishing the public to pay its fair share is an unjust double standard.”

A law signed by then Governor Corbett in 2013 allowed certain local governments to form stormwater authorities. Those entities can collect fees from residents for the management, maintenance, and improvement of stormwater infrastructure. 

CBF Pennsylvania Staff Attorney Trisha Salvia added the following statement.

“Simply put, Pennsylvania needs to pay its fair share of stormwater costs for state-owned properties. Public and private landowners, including businesses, churches, and the federal government, are already paying to support stormwater improvements in their local communities.”

For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage.  Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column).  Click Here to support their work.

Also visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership to learn how you can help clean water grow on trees.

[Posted: April 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest