The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation aimed at enhancing environmental education. The bill, approved 244-170, doesn’t create any new programs, but would reauthorize and expand two existing ones run by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency.
One, the Environmental Literacy Grant Program, funds projects to educate the public about water resources, including professional development for classroom teachers and informal educators The other, the Bay-Watershed Education and Training Program, seeks to promote stewardship of coastal and marine resources.
In a press release, Kevin Coyle, a vice president at the National Wildlife Federation, praised the legislation, saying it “connects children with nature, advances science learning, and provides opportunities for young Americans to learn, serve, and work in the growing clean energy economy.”