FAMU has received a $497,663 cooperative agreement for the “Environmental Education Program for Expanding Conservation and Stewardship of the Gulf of Mexico” project from the Gulf of Mexico Program. Leading this three-year project are Katherine Milla, Ph.D. and Sunil Pancholy, Ph.D. at FAMU’s Center for Water and Air Quality.“A major goal of the project is to increase citizen awareness of the value of natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico and its coastal regions, and to promote conservation and restoration of the waters of the Gulf,” Milla said. “The project will be developed, in collaboration with partners from Gulf coastal states, through a multifaceted approach, including K-12 teacher and student experiential education opportunities, public education and outreach activities.”
An important emphasis area for the project is reaching traditionally underserved and underrepresented groups and communities. For this effort, Cooperative Extension offices at the historically black land-grant universities in Gulf Coast states will be using educational and promotional materials developed by FAMU to increase awareness of their constituents on Gulf issues. By increasing their knowledge of the Gulf, communities can better engage in discussions on the true value of Gulf resources and the need to conserve and protect those resources as part of a healthy and vibrant society.
“The commitment of this year’s projects to meet the collaborative goals of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance is a high watermark for EPA and the Gulf states,” said Bryon Griffith, director of the Gulf of Mexico Program and federal co-lead for the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. “The work our partners are completing this year will achieve measurable successes in protecting the health and environment for our families, friends and neighbors in the Gulf.”
This cooperative agreement is part of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Regional Partnership Projects and supports the Governors’Action Plan.