EPA gives $150K to Providence organization

BOSTON – A Providence organization has been awarded a $150,000 environmental-education grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a program aimed at low-income teenagers.
According to a news release by the agency, the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island was one of 37 organizations in New England to apply for funding, but one of only two in New England to receive part of the $2.8 million awarded nationally.
The agency said the funding will be used for the Community Environmental College, a two-year summer program for primarily teenagers of color from low-income, urban areas. The project is aimed at teaching teens to improve conditions in areas disproportionately affected by environmental concerns. The program also teaches leadership through hands-on experiences with environmental education and program coordination.
The other New England group awarded a grant was The Island Institute in Rockland, Maine, which received $100,000 to establish and support community energy teams. •