The Department of Environmental Protection this week announced the award of 78 environmental education grants totaling $478,000 paid for with fines and penalties collected by the agency under the 1993 Environmental Education Act.

"More and more, people are coming to understand that our actions have consequences for the natural world around us and they're wondering how they can reduce their impact on the planet," said Gov. Rendell. "Many of these grants will be used to give young students hands on lessons and conduct workshops for teachers on such critical issues as renewable energy, climate change, water conservation, air quality and acid mine drainage. Helping students and the public understand issues like these is the first step in finding solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges."

Seventy-eight schools, universities, county conservation districts and non-profit groups will use the grants to improve environmental awareness and promote stewardship across the commonwealth. The grants range from $1,214 to $19,901.

This year, the largest grant was awarded to the Allegheny County Conservation District to conduct 40 watershed awareness programs consisting of two-sessions that will reach more than 1,000 students during the 2008-09 school year.

Many of the grants also will help schools implement the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, which requires educators to provide students with instruction related to the state's environmental laws and regulations.

Including the grants announced this week, DEP has awarded more than $6 million in support of environmental education since 1995.

Video Blog: Kathleen Paul Talks About the PA Center for Environmental Education

Links: Office of Environment and Ecology Programs & Services

PA Center for Environmental Education

The grants awarded this week include—

Adams County

· Gettysburg College -- $14,987 to conduct workshops for 150 teachers to improve their understanding of environmental science concepts and their ability to incorporate the Pennsylvania Environment and Ecology Standards into the classroom.

Allegheny County

· Pittsburgh Regional Center for Science Teachers -- $7,500 for staff to expand the center’s Environment and Health initiative, present professional development workshops through out the state, and enhance its Web site.

· Gateway School District -- $3,000 to enhance the district’s Greening Gateway outdoor classroom, develop a bird box trail, and comprehensive field guide.

· Pennsylvania Resources Council Inc. -- $14,355 to conduct “Climate Change Challenge” teacher workshops and raise awareness about consumer options and everyday actions that contribute to climate change.

· Allegheny County Conservation District -- $19,901 to conduct 40 two-session watershed awareness programs reaching more than 1,000 students in Allegheny County during the 2008-09 school year.

Bedford County

· Bedford Area School District -- $3,000 for elementary staff and students to start a school-wide recycling program.

Blair County

· Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania -- $3,000 to conduct workshops for teachers on composting and recycling.

Bradford County

· Wyalusing Area School District -- $3,000 for equipment for 7th and 9th grade students to conduct field water testing and studies.

Bucks County

· Bucks County Conservation District -- $3,000 to conduct workshops for teachers on soils, best management practices and invasive species.

· Bucks County Renewables -- $7,683 to conduct a week-long workshop for teachers on rebuilding an internal combustion engine vehicle into a battery electric vehicle.

· United Friends School -- $3,000 to help students collect digital data on the health of a local stream, present the information to borough council, and develop a proposal to improve the quality of the stream.

· Bucks County Community College -- $3,000 to conduct a series of workshops for teachers on Biophilia.

Butler County

· Butler Area School District -- $7,285 for improvements to an outdoor learning area. Work will include restoring a riparian buffer along the Connoquenessing Creek, mapping it with GPS units, and developing new lessons.

· Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania -- $15,000 for the development of an online ''Outdoor Learning Site'' Resource Guide.

Centre County

· State College Area School District --$15,000 to review and revise the curriculum and integrate it into the district’s Schoolyard Program. The revisions will help teachers and students better utilize the outdoor classroom areas. The district also received a $3,000 grant to implement a school composting and garden initiative

· Pennsylvania State University -- $7,480 to support the Countywide Teacher In-Service Program: Using E&E Standards and Curriculum to Unite Children, Place and the Environment

Chester County

· Stroud Water Research Center Inc. -- $12,856 to conduct a five-day summer teacher workshop focusing on the following Environment and Ecology Standards: Agriculture and Society, Integrated Pest Management and Humans and the Environment.

· Bethany Christian School -- $7,500 to create an outdoor environmental education area on the school's property. The area will include a wetland model, native plants, composting facilities and weather, soil and water testing equipment.

· Renaissance Academy-Edison Charter School -- $3,000 to purchase materials and equipment for high school students to study wetlands.

Clearfield County

· Clearfield County Conservation District -- $10,000 to develop a series of public education sessions about the area’s abandoned mine drainage problems, remediation activities and economic benefits of remediation in the West Branch Susquehanna River watershed.

Columbia County

· Columbia County Conservation District -- $10,000 to support environmental education programs for teachers and students in 6th through 8th grades, as well as local government officials.

Crawford County

· Conneaut School District -- $2,994 to cover the costs for field trips to local waterways for water quality testing. The grant will also be used to purchase materials for lessons on sustainable energy.

Dauphin County

· St. Stephen's Episcopal School -- $1,214 for 3rd and 4th grade students to attend watershed and air quality programs at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The school also received a $1,694 grant for 5th and 6th grade students to attend programming about watersheds and the night sky at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.

· Millersburg Area School District -- $2,300 for several water-related field trips for science students. In addition, the grant will fund several visits by Gettysburg College’s “Advancing Science” van.

· Lower Dauphin School District -- $3,000 to purchase probeware for a water analysis station as part of existing field study. The district also received a $3,000 grant to purchase kits for freshmen to test radon levels in their homes.

· Audubon Pennsylvania -- $7,500 to conduct workshops for teachers on using birds to teach science standards. The grant also will fund live-bird visits to classrooms.

Delaware County

· Delaware County Conservation District -- $10,000 to conduct workshops for homeowners on the benefits of using rain gardens and rain barrels to manage stormwater.

· Garnet Valley School District -- $7,500 to complete the Bethel Springs Community Nature Trail. The trail will include activity stations, education information areas, trail markers and a stream-side deck for water studies.

Elk County

· Saint Marys Area School District -- $3,000 for laboratory metering equipment and solar panels for the district’s outdoor classroom. The panels will power a golf cart, power tools and area lighting.

Erie County

· Eric City School District -- $3,000 to continue an energy audit of the district’s Collegiate school building. The grant also will fund field trips to a landfill, Presque Isle State Park, a water treatment plant and St. Vincent College.

· Gannon University -- $13,066 to conduct a “Fuel for Schools” workshop for 15 to 20 high school science teachers focusing on the environmental benefits and production of biodiesel fuel.

Fayette County

· Fayette County Conservation District -- $1,950 to implement a program called “Project Weed Whack,” a hands-on field identification and control training series designed to educate the community about the negative impacts of invasive plants.

· Albert Gallatin Area School District -- $7,500 to develop an outdoor learning area that includes a pavilion for seating, compost area, gardens and various habitats.

Greene County

· Carmichaels Area School District -- $3,000 to purchase equipment for students to conduct local stream-quality monitoring and sampling at two watershed sites. The district also received a $1,990 grant to purchase equipment to implement the “Trout in the Classroom” program.

Jefferson County

· Jefferson County Conservation District -- $3,000 to purchase testing equipment to be used at the annual Watershed Education Days event at Cloe Lake, which draws 1,100 students and 30 teachers.

Lackawanna County

· Lackawanna Conservation District -- $3,000 for high school students to visit several local acid mine discharge sites and learn about methods for treating acid mine drainage and reducing nonpoint source pollution.

· Marywood University -- $9,800 to conduct a five-day watershed workshop for educators about watersheds. The training will include field studies.

Lancaster County

· Penn Manor School District -- $3,000 to pay transportation and entrance costs for water-related field trips for 60 11th and 12th graders.

· Lancaster School District -- $11,270 to create outdoor classroom and environmental lesson plans. The district also received a $2,315 grant to fund field trips and equipment for hands-on watershed education lessons.

Lawrence County

· Lawrence County Conservation District -- $3,000 to buy materials to mark storm drains and distribute educational materials to residents.

Lebanon County

· Lebanon County Conservation District -- $11,600 to conduct a symposium and demonstration on the benefits of green roof systems and to develop an action plan to establish a local green roof industry in the county. The district also received $11,000 to conduct workshops on the benefits of using rain barrels to conserve water and reduce nonpoint source pollution.

Lehigh County

· The Swain School -- $3,000 to purchase resources and equipment for hands-on learning about biotechnology and engineering.

· Wildlife Information Center Inc. -- $7,500 to conduct five workshops for teachers about sustainable energy, watersheds, air quality and the Pennsylvania Academic Standards For Environment and Ecology.

Luzerne County

· Luzerne Conservation District -- $9,960 for a series of workshops for contractors, municipal officials, home and land owners and educators about non-point source pollution prevention and stormwater management.

· Hazleton Area School District -- $3,000 to purchase 12 GPS units for middle school students to map locations of acid mine drainage discharge tunnels and illegal dump sites.

Lycoming County

· Lycoming College -- $11,967 to conduct two summer workshops for teachers about acid mine drainage, nonpoint source pollution, riparian buffers stormwater management, and water conservation.

Mercer County

· Jamestown Area School District -- $15,000 to revise and write new science lesson plans and units for student in kindergarten through 12th grades.

· McKeever Environmental Learning Center -- $6,000 to conduct workshops for teachers on how to incorporate sustainability into their curriculum.

· Mercer County Conservation District -- $9,975 to develop a workshop for teachers at Munnell Run Farm. The workshops will focus on sustainable energy sources and programming for the farm and to offset schools’ costs of attending field trips.

Montgomery County

· Institute of Earth Science Research and Education -- $14,400 to develop workshops for teachers about solar energy.

· Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School -- $2,000 to create new lessons and a lab to enhance an interactive high school virtual environmental science course.

· St. Mary's School -- $3,000 to develop lesson plans and create an outdoor classroom.

· Riverbend Environmental Education Center -- $3,000 to conduct workshops for 3rd and 4th grade teachers about the Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology.

· The Hill School -- $1,948 develop a school garden and send three teachers to training.

· Spring-Ford Area School District -- $7,500 to convert a six-acre wetland into an outdoor learning area at the Evans Elementary School. Teachers will be trained on the Wonders of Wetlands curriculum.

Philadelphia County

· Father Judge High School -- $2,993 to upgrade the school’s laboratory.

· Green Woods Charter School -- $3,000 to purchase books and videos, and to conduct field trips to learn about agriculture issues and the Amish community. The school also received $1,500 to purchase equipment to conduct habitat studies on school property.

· The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education -- $12,029 to conduct three workshops for educators about sustainable energy, solar energy, green roofs, green building design and biodiesel fuels.

Schuylkill County

· St. Ambrose School -- $1,500 to conduct field trips for 3rd through 8th grade students to learn about watershed issues.

Snyder County

· Snyder County Conservation District -- $10,000 to develop workshops, displays and exhibits that address a broad range of conservation and environmental issues.

Somerset County

· Somerset County Conservation District -- $10,000 to hire a full-time environmental educator and purchase materials and supplies to develop water resource education programs. The district also received $9,000 to conduct “Outdoor Heritage 2009,” a multi-disciplinary environmental education event for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Susquehanna County

· Montrose Area School District -- $1,111 for equipment for students to conduct water sampling and testing.

· Susquehanna County Conservation District -- $3,000 for students to conduct water sampling and testing, focusing on energy use, resources, and the environmental and economic impact of each energy source.

Tioga County

· Mansfield University of Pennsylvania -- $3,000 to work with the Tioga County Concerned Citizens Committee and high school teachers to design and implement abandoned mine drainage curriculum including pre-field trip preparatory lessons and field trips.

Warren County

· Warren County Conservation District -- $1,047 to conduct a workshop for local residents on the benefits of rain barrels such as water conservation and reducing nonpoint source pollution.

Washington County

· Avella Area School District -- $3,000 to enhance the district’s nature trail, including environmental stations with habitat descriptions, bird boxes and a greenhouse to contain compost and native plants.

Westmoreland County

· Westmoreland County Conservation District -- $3,000 to research, script, film and produce a five-to-10 minute educational video on sustainable energy and nonpoint source pollution reduction features that have been incorporated into the district’s GreenForge building.

· Saint Vincent College -- $2,500 to conduct a workshop for kindergarten through 6th grade teachers titled, “Bears, Bugs, and Birds Ecology.”

York County

· York Suburban School District -- $3,000 for equipment and field trips to enable students to study watersheds and water pollution.

· Southern York County School District -- $3,000 to fund visits by Gettysburg College’s Advancing Science Van to elementary schools. The grant also will fund guidance and equipment for teachers.

8/15/2008