HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf, on Earth Day, announced Environmental Education Grants to projects addressing environmental justice, climate change, and water quality. Eighty-eight percent of grant funds will support projects that engage youth and adults living and/or working within Environmental Justice areas.

“These grants support projects that increase the environmental knowledge of community members statewide,” said Wolf. “This year’s awardees underscore the values of our Earth Week theme: Protect the Environment for All Pennsylvanians.”

The statewide Pennsylvania Envirothon project was awarded $80,219. The existing program will be analyzed and modified to help expand engagement of teachers and youth in environmental justice areas.

In McKean County, the county’s conservation district and Penn State University will each receive $3,000. The conservation district will implement an environmental education series for elementary through high school students, connecting local forests with protecting and improving watersheds. Penn State will implement an educational series including interactive, standards-based lessons and educational games that teach about local and global impacts of our changing climate.

The Elk County Conservation District will receive $2,433 for climate change education workshops addressing water quality and quantity and host an educational Conservation Carnival at the West Creek Wetland Learning Center.

Grants were awarded by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to schools, institutions, conservation districts, and environmental and community organizations. Thirty-four local projects received mini grants of up to $3,000.