The Department of Environmental Protection said this week said applications are now available for the 2008 Environmental Education Grants Program.

The deadline to apply is December 14.

The grants support projects and programs that increase environmental awareness, understanding and stewardship. Any school, university, non-profit group or county conservation district in the commonwealth may apply.

Significant changes were made to the 2008 grant program, including:

· An increase in the amount mini-grants from $2,000 to $3,000;

· The addition of a new grant track category—school outdoor learning resources; and

· Teacher preparation programs that meet “Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology and Science and Technology” may apply for funding under the “Conservation and Education Organizations and Institutions” open track. The academic standards are state-mandated and provide a roadmap for what students must know about the environment by the end of 4th, 7th, 10th and 12th grades.

Grant amounts vary from $3,000 for mini-grants to $20,000 in areas designed specifically to cover timely and critically important topics, including:

· Sustainable energy sources and technologies including solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal and alternative transportation fuels;

· Air quality including ground-level ozone, transportation and electric generation issues; and

· Watersheds including acid mine drainage, non-point source pollution and water conservation.

Since the program’s inception, DEP has awarded more than $6 million in grants to support the environmental education efforts of schools, county conservation districts, and other non-profit organizations throughout Pennsylvania.

The program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, which mandates that 5 percent of all pollution fines and penalties collected annually by DEP be set aside for environmental education.

To download an application, visit the DEP Environmental Education Grants Program webpage or write P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063; or call 717-772-1828.

10/5/2007