Latest from Washington, DC on Environmental Education

The Ocean Project continues to encourage our Partners and friends to take action on initiatives to help advance environmental education and literacy. The Campaign for Environmental Literacy, an Ocean Project Partner, has been instrumental in helping advocate for a number of EE initiatives. They report that the last 12 months have brought unprecedented attention to EE, thanks to the work of many of our Partners.On July 31, Congress overwhelmingly passed all provisions of the Higher Education Sustainability Act (HESA). This is the first federal environmental education grant-making program authorized in 18 years.

One piece of legislation in particular that we continue to highlight for our Partners is the No Child Left Inside Act (HR 3036). Originally intended as an amendment to the No Child Left Behind Act, which is stuck in Congress, it has been modified and passed by the pertinent House Committee to re-authorize the long expired National Environmental Education Act of 1990 for one year. It is important to rally support for this bill as it comes to a full House vote in early September.

Partners and friends can help make this happen. You can learn more about this and other important EE bills, and how you can help, by going to Campaign for Environmental Literacy.