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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2011
CONTACT: Joe Weidner
(717) 787-3076
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Environmental Education Grant applications available

Application deadline of December 16 for up to $7,500 in funding

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is now accepting applications for environmental education grants to be released in 2012, according to Senator Elder Vogel Jr.

The grants provide funding to create or develop projects to support a variety of environmental topics including: watershed management, water conservation, acid mine drainage, alternative energy, air quality, brownfields redevelopment and Chesapeake Bay restoration.

"This is an excellent opportunity for local groups to take advantage of state funding to increase public awareness and promote efforts to improve our environment," Senator Vogel said. "These grants are intended to advance environment education efforts through a wide variety of groups."

Schools, colleges, universities, county conservation districts, non-profit organizations, municipalities and businesses are eligible to apply for the grants, which will provide a maximum of $7,500 per applicant.

Applications are available online at www.dep.state.pa.us by clicking on Environmental Education, then Grants, or by calling the Environmental Education and Information Center at (717) 772-1828. The deadline to apply is December 16.

The program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993 and mandates that five percent of all pollution fines and penalties DEP collects annually be designated for environmental education.

Last April, DEP awarded 102 grants totaling more than $538,000 to groups in support of environmental education programs across the state. Since the program’s inception, the department has awarded more than $7 million in grants.