NWF Policy Bulletin on Connecting Children with Nature

Thursday, May 21, 2009

(National Wildlife Federation)

NWF Policy Bulletin on Connecting Children with Nature

 

In This Issue:

   1. Department of Interior Makes Connecting Children with Nature a Priority

   2. Environmental Education Included in President’s Budget at EPA

   3. Green Schools Act Passes House, Amendment Adds School Gardens

   4. No Child Left Inside Rally, Legislation Gains Support

   5. NASA Announces Climate Change Education Grants

 


 

1. Department of Interior Makes Connecting Children with Nature a Priority:

 

President Obama’s fiscal 2010 budget proposal at the Department of Interior contains an historic $50 million in new investments to connect children and families to the great outdoors. The budget targets $30 million for educating young hunters and anglers, as well as doubles from $20 to $40 million the funding for Youth Careers in Nature. This DOI initiative, dubbed the 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps, will bolster environmental education, recreation, and service programs throughout the Department, and engage thousands of youth in the outdoors.

 

The 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps will help “strengthen existing programs and create new ways to engage youth in nature to develop an environmental awareness and respect for resources.”  There is a special focus on educating young hunters and anglers through grants to state agencies.  NWF is currently circulating an organizational sign-on letter supporting full funding for the 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps.  Please contact Patrick Fitzgerald at fitzgeraldp@nwf.org if you would like a copy of the letter.

 

Read a statement from NWF Vice President for Education and Training, Kevin Coyle:

http://www.nwf.org/news/story.cfm?pageId=544A65FB-5056-A868-A003607FFD382D00

 

Read the DOI summary of the 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps:

http://www.doi.gov/budget/2010/10Hilites/DH057.pdf

 

 

2. Environmental Education Included in President’s Budget at EPA:

 

The President's FY 2010 budget was released earlier this month and it includes $9.038 million for the Office of Environmental Education at the EPA. This is the first time environmental education has been included in the President’s budget in several years.  The inclusion is a huge step forward, but NWF and its partners are pushing for the originally authorized level of $14 million for this program in Congress.

 

In late March, 27 Representatives have weighed in with the Appropriations Committee by sending a letter (led by Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO), Michael Castle (R-DE) and John Sarbanes (D-MD) requesting $14 million.  And at the end of April, 15 Senators joined a similar letter led by Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY).  These Senators include:  Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Roland Burris (D-IL), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Edward Kaufman (D-DE), Frank Lautenbuerg (D-NJ), Carl Levin (MI-D), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernard Sanders (D-VT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR).

 

The EPA’s Office of Environmental Education supports several highly-leveraged, but under-resourced programs including the Environmental Education and Training Partnership, the National Environmental Education Foundation, an environmental education grant program, the Weather and the Environment program, the Health and the Environment program, National Public Lands Day, the Business and Environment program, Project Learning Tree, the National Audubon Society’s education initiatives, and other efforts.

 

 

3. Green Schools Act Passes House, Amendment Adds School Gardens:

 

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, introduced by Ben Chandler (D-KY), was passed in the House on May 14th.  The Act directs the Secretary of Education to make grants to State educational agencies for the modernization, renovation, or repair of public school facilities, helping to make them more green and energy efficient.

 

The Act includes an amendment offered by Representatives Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Ben Lujan (D-NM) that allows schools to use grant funding for the creation of school greenhouses, creation of gardens and planting of trees on school properties. The amendment notes that these activities, such as targeted tree planting, can reduce building energy costs as well as provide an opportunity for innovative scientific and environmental learning. Having passed the House the bill has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

 

View the entire bill:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h2187eh.txt.pdf

 

Read the Education and Labor Committee’s Write Up on the Bill:

http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/05/the-21st-century-green-high-pe.shtml

 

Read Representative Allyson Schwartz’ Press Release on her Amendments:

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/Green.html

 

 

4. No Child Left Inside Rally, Legislation Gains Support:

 

On Thursday, May 14, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) held a press event outdoors next to the U.S. Capitol in support of the No Child Left Inside Act.  Surrounded by children from a green school in Baltimore, animals brought in by the The Columbus Zoo, and lots of press, Senator Reed, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) all spoke out in support of environmental education.  The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Association of Zoos and Aquariums also spoke in support of swift action on the No Child Left Inside Act.

 

The legislation has been attracting new, bi-partisan co-sponsors in the House and Senate since being introduced on Earth Day.  The House bill now has 60 co-sponsors and the Senate bill has 13.

 

Ask your Members of Congress to Support the NCLI Act:

http://online.nwf.org/NCLI09

 

See Photos of the Event and JOIN the NCLI Coalition:

http://www.nclicoalition.org/

 

 

5. NASA Announces Climate Change Education Grants:

 

On May 13th NASA announced $6.4 million in grants to 22 institutions of higher education and education non-profits in 14 states and the District of Columbia for global climate change education.

 

The awards cover a maximum of three years and range in value from $140,000 to $500,000. The selected winners were chosen based on the ability of their proposal to “enhance students’ academic experiences or improve educators’ abilities to engage their students by providing opportunities to investigate the Earth system by using NASA resources” at the elementary, secondary and undergraduate levels.  In the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, NASA received $10 million for similar grants and will likely announce a request for proposals in the near future.

 

View a NASA Press Release on Grant Program:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/may/HQ_09-107_Climate_Edu_Grants.html