EPA Awards South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium a $78,564 Environmental Education Grant

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium (SCSGC) with a $78,564 environmental education model grant for their Sowing the Seeds of Estuary Health: Exploring Tidal Creek-Salt Marsh Ecosystems while Raising Awareness project proposal. The proposal intends to increase the stewardship of tidal creek-salt marsh habitats, thereby protecting coastal waters and reducing human health risk. To accomplish this goal, SCSGC will develop a tidal creek-salt marsh environmental education model that includes three levels of engagement: environmental information, outreach and stewardship to increase understanding and care of these ecosystems.

The award was one of 20 grants issued across the country ranging from $75,000- 200,000 for a total of approximately $2.8 million. Projects include community energy education, summer programs for low-income teenagers, integration of multimedia learning tools into watershed education, environmental health education on the impact of climate change and asthma and hands-on K-12 environmental education programs. The announcement signals the completion of awards for the 2013 Environmental Education Model Grants Program .

Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 and $3.5 million in grant funding per year, for a total of $62,143,290, supporting more than 3,600 grant projects. Applications for the 2014 EE Model Grants Program will be available later in fall 2014.

The purpose of the EE Model Grants Program is to support environmental education projects that increase public awareness about environmental issues and provide participants with the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques, and that will serve as models that can be replicated in a variety of settings.