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EPA grant supports environmental education projects in Mid-Atlantic communities including College Park, Md.

Release Date: 02/22/2013
Contact Information: Terri White, white.terri-a@epa.gov, 215-814-5523

(PHILADELPHIA Feb. 22, 2013) The National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC) will provide an estimated $92,000 in funding to support community-based environmental education projects in 11 mid-Atlantic communities, including College Park, Md., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

Aimed at empowering people to take better care of their local environment, the projects are funded via a $150,000 EPA grant to NNCC to support environmental education efforts throughout the mid-Atlantic region. The sub-grants announced today are the first of two rounds to be awarded.

“NNCC’s environmental education programs have a proven track record of reducing environmental risks that threaten the health of children and underserved communities disproportionately,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “I congratulate all of the awardees as they take this important work to the next level.”

“As a leader in children’s environmental health, NNCC is very excited to work with EPA and to use our more than decade-long experience in helping grantees reach the program’s goals of increasing knowledge and awareness of environmental issues and increasing the number of students, teachers and community members taking responsible actions regarding the environment,” said Tine Hansen-Turton , NNCC’s executive director. “There is no doubt that these grants will have a tremendous impact in our region, reaching more than 2,000 people, many of whom are from disadvantaged communities, and will help both them and our environment for decades to come.”

There are 15 projects receiving EPA funding between $4,000-$5,000 for environmental learning and stewardship work in communities located in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

In College Park, the University of Maryland will develop summer camps in two low-income communities and an education program for the general public that promotes best practices for maintaining and monitoring private well and septic systems.

More information on EPA Environmental Education program grants can be found at https://www.epa.gov/education/grants/index.html .