Schools Eligible to Become Climate Showcases; $10 Million in EPA Funding Available

Washington, June 22 — School districts are among those eligible to receive funding under a $10 million program to recognize model initiatives that improve the environment and public health.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will support as many as 25 cooperative agreements ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 each under the Climate Showcase Communities program, which is open to municipalities, school districts, tribal governments and others. The initiative was spotlighted during a conference call Friday on school energy efficiency sponsored by Climate Communities, a clean-energy advocacy organization. The program was funded with a $10 million fiscal 2009 appropriation, but could be used in conjunction with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars that are helping localities, including school districts, go green.