$171,000 to aid environmental education projects in Massachusetts

Two Massachusetts-based organizations, the Mystic River Watershed Association and Manomet Inc., recently won a combined $171,000 for environmental education projects, which will educate local students on water resources stewardship and the role of sustainability in small businesses.

"We are incredibly grateful to the EPA for this grant to support the growth of Manomet's new experiential education program for colleges," Manomet Project Manager Lora Winslow said. "Manomet will train dozens of students to address the complex environmental challenges facing their generation and provide roughly 1,200 small businesses with tools to reduce their environmental footprint. Thanks to the EPA, this program will have long-lasting and far-reaching impacts for the students, their communities, small businesses, and our planet."

Manomet will use its $91,000 grant from the EPA for a two-year project that will see students help local businesses increase their sustainability and increase climate resiliency.

The Mystic River Watershed won a grant of $80,000, which will educate approximately 1,500 students and 200 adults on preserving water resources by teaching them about the watershed’s herring migration.

"The Mystic River Watershed Association is excited to bring the herring migration to the larger community and especially local schools through the installation of underwater video cameras," Mystic River Watershed Association Outreach and Communications Director Beth MacBlane said. "This new program will connect thousands of people to this amazing rite of spring — the herring migration."