The Department of Environmental Protection is accepting applications for its 2023 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.
Donor Name: Department of Environmental Protection
State: Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Award
Deadline: 12/21/2022
Details:
Under the Governor’s direction, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) dedicates its efforts to developing environmental education opportunities, assisting organizations to achieve greater pollution prevention, mitigating greenhouse gases and adapting to climate change, protecting watersheds in need, supporting environmental cleanup programs statewide, and promoting environmental justice.
This award is open to all Pennsylvania businesses, farms, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations who have created, or participated in, the development of a project that promotes environmental protection in the state. By nominating your organization or an organization you know, you can help to highlight the many ways citizens and businesses are making Pennsylvania a leader in environmental protection.
Criteria
Projects will be selected for awards based on the eight criteria listed below:
- Protection
- Projects must demonstrate, above all, a commitment to protecting the environment. DEP evaluates and awards points to projects that have implemented an environmental project in the most effective manner possible with measurable and demonstrable results.
- Partnership
- Projects should demonstrate the involvement of employees, government officials and/or community members.
- Environmental Education and Outreach
- Projects should teach others about environmentally responsible practices.
- Economic Impact
- Projects should be cost-effective, either minimizing costs or demonstrating a payback on investments or create or retain jobs.
- Innovation
- Projects effectively using innovative technology or approaches will receive additional consideration.
- Climate Change
- Projects should consider the potential impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions or implementing strategies to adapt to climate change.
- Sustainability
- Project should be implemented using sustainable practices or should enhance sustainability regarding consumption of food or energy, waste management, or other environmental influences.
- Environmental Justice
- Projects should directly or indirectly benefit those who are or historically have been exposed to greater environmental health risks, particularly those living in Environmental Justice areas.
To be eligible for consideration, projects must have been completed between October 4, 2021 and October 11, 2022.
Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:
- Innovative Advances
- Companies, individuals, or projects that contribute to environmental protection through technological advances in pollution prevention, water treatment, renewable energy development and energy efficiency.
- Sustainable Practices
- Companies, individuals, or projects that employ sustainable practices for the purpose of conserving resources, reducing waste, and promoting environmental resiliency.
- Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
- Companies, individuals, or projects that actively seek to limit, reduce, or adjust to long-term climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation of impacts.
- Energy Solutions
- Companies, individuals, or projects that offer best service/best price options for renewable energy strategies, meet demands in the restructured electricity market and promote economic development and investment in renewable and alternative energy.
- Environmental Education
- Companies, individuals, or projects that create communication pathways, break down barriers, foster environmental education, address environmental concerns and challenges, and create awareness for responsible environmental practices.
- Watershed Restoration
- Companies, individuals, or projects that display practicable engineering based on science, ensure future growth, and yield maximum environmental benefits for Pennsylvania’s waterways.
- Natural Areas
- Companies, individuals, or projects that protect our natural areas such as parks, forests, and open spaces by cleaning up pollution, planting trees, restoring habitat, or increasing our understanding of the treasures they already possess.
- Environmental Justice
- Companies, individuals, or projects that increase the environmental education of people in designated Environmental Justice communities, protect or improve their natural environment, or increase their access to resources for environmental protection.
Evaluation and Selection
The Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence is open to any Pennsylvania business, farm, government agency, educational institution, non-profit organization and individual that has created, or participated in, the development of a project that promotes environmental stewardship and economic development in Pennsylvania.
For more information, visit Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.
