DEP Awards $357,000 In Annual Environmental Education Grants

Pennsylvania's students, teachers and community groups will be able to take field trips, study alternative energy, restore ponds and wetlands, and use worms to create compost with the help of 60 environmental education grants by the Commonwealth to schools, colleges, county conservation districts and local non-profit organizations.

Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger said the $356,723 in Environmental Education grants will be used to develop hands-on environmental education programs and conduct workshops for teachers and local communities.

"These grants will fund a range of environmental education initiatives from local energy workshops to developing environmental curriculum and educational projects for elementary students," Secretary Hanger said. "We are seeing a renewed and growing movement to care for our environment and to help our children and neighbors understand the importance of conserving energy and protecting Pennsylvania's air and water. These grants will support efforts that will benefit all areas of the state."

Projects funded under the grants announced today include outdoor environmental education facilities for school districts, field trips and hands-on activities at wetlands and mine drainage sites, and energy and conservation workshops for teachers and local community groups.

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

Since then, DEP has awarded nearly $7 million in grants to support the environmental education efforts of schools, county conservation districts and other nonprofit organizations throughout Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit the Environmental Education Grants Program webpage.