Re: [GreenYes] EPA Office of Environmental Education

[Patricia Imperato <imperato@prc.org>]

To answer John Waddell's question on the value of the EPA EE program, the
following is a list of grant recipients from the EPA EE Fund According to to
Vince Meldrum, VP of Programs at Earth Force

This will be the end of the yearly $2.4-$3 million EPA grant program,  of the
Youth Awards, of the college Fellowship program, of EE-Link  (the electronic
connection which has improved communications so
dramatically), of  support to state and national EE organizations.

This will be the end of the Environmental Education & Training Partnership
(EETAP) which just gave Washington $25,000 a year for two years to teach colleges
of education faculty how to integrate environmental knowledge into their teacher
preparation programs.

 EETAP was also the source of money  for the Governor's Council on EE workshop
for information educators, held in  September 2000.

The National Environmental Ed & Training Foundation (NEETF) will lose $750,000
(20 - 25% of its budget) from the OEE cut.   NEETF provided a small grant for the
Governor's Council launch of Master Watershed Stewards in the Yakima Valley, and
add some elements to Island County Beach Watchers.  (NEETF  sponsors National
Public Lands Day, which drew many new volunteers to work in State Parks in
September 2000.)
.
 Grants went to entities like Pacific Science Center, Pacific Lutheran
University, University of Washington, Washington State University, Western
Washington University, Gonzaga University, and Seattle University.

 In Washington, the EPA Office of EE and the grants program made many new
programs possible.  This is a PARTIAL list:

 Model Schools, $250,000 to OSPI, which was matched by more than $500,000 in
other funds and time invested in the program.  Schools from all over the state
benefited.

Adopt-A-Stream, Everett, $100,000, for youth and community watershed  stewardship
training. Bainbridge Island School District, $22,000, to  integrate school
district-wide education with the Bainbridge Island
watershed management planning process.  Included teacher training, students
projects, etc. Blue Mountain Demonstration Forest, $5,000 to use a field site for
outdoor studies about forest ecosystems, for 25
elementary school teachers in Sequim and Port Angeles School District. Chief
Leschi School, Puyallup,$5,000 for teacher training on environmental stewardship.

EEAW, $5,000, for Project Diversity.
Lynden Christian School, Lynden, for student research on innovative composting
approaches.

North Cascades Institute, $5,000, for middle school teacher training in involving
students in environmental restoration and how to lead restoration projects for
6th grade classes, on the Skagit River.

Northwest Chicano Network, Granger, $5,000, to produce and distribute bi-lingual
teaching materials on pollution prevention and environmental knowledge, including
waste reduction, household hazardous
waste and pesticides.

Olympia Peninsula Foundation, Port Townsend, $5,000, for wetlands education in
Port Townsend schools.

Pacific Science Center, Seattle, $5,000, to develop education programs and
student field trips to Mercer Slough.

Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, $7,800, for Clover Creek Watershed education
program, including teacher training on leading students in environmental
monitoring.

RE Sources, Bellingham, $13,000, to set up a high school air quality and
atmospheric monitoring program in the three NW counties, train teachers, hold an
annual student congress, etc.

St. Martin's College, Lacey, $5,000 to help rural school districts use
telecommunications and other technology in K-8  environmental ed.

Elma was one of the districts which benefited.  Salish Sea Discovery Center,
Kingston, $5,000, teacher training and student learning about Puget Sound.
Spokane Conservation District, $9,600, and $21,000 (different years) to enable
schools to learn about  the science and history of land and water use and to
undertake restoration  in the Upper Palouse Habitat Restoration Project.

Steilacoom School District, Steilacoom, $4,700, to incorporate GREEN and forest
ecology studies into 3rd - 5th grades.

Thurston Conservation District, $5,000, for Project GREEN.

WSU - Whatcom County, $14,600, for volunteers, science students and public to
work together on learning about, monitoring and sharing scientific information on
Lake Whatcom - the main source of supply for
Bellingham's drinking water.


RJayW2@aol.com wrote:

> In being eliminated, is the EPA Office of Environmental Education something
> to be mourned?  Who were they educating, where and how?  I've been in
> environmental publishing since 1984 and do not recall ever receiving anything
> from this office.
>
> With the change in Administration it would seem to me that most on this list
> would like to see this office at least "suspended" until a more progressive
> administration is elected.  For some of us, the fact that any government
> entity or office is being cancelled or defunded comes as a shock.  Doesn't
> happen too often in D.C. or anywhere else.
>
> Are there others on this list who have gained alot from the EPA Office of
> Environmental Education or is the information they put out readily available
> elsewhere?
>
> John Waddell
> KJWB Publications/Refuse News
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