The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of three organizations in the Southeast region to receive $262,000 in funding for projects under the 2018 Environmental Education (EE) Grants Program. One of the recipients is the Trust for Public Lands, Chattanooga. It will receive $100,000 to conduct land revitalization activities to support a new rail line conversion project.

An old spur line from the former Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad is being turned into a connection from the Riverwalk in St. Elmo to Alton Park.

It will cross South Broad Street and go under Alton Park Boulevard before reaching 38th Street in Alton Park.

Nationwide, 37 organizations in 29 states, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were selected to receive $3.3 million in grant funding.

Other organizations and education projects selected to receive the 2018 EE Grants in the Southeast include:

• Appalachian State University, Boone, NC - $62,001 to use a converted RV as a mobile earth and environmental science lab in Appalachia.

• University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA - $100,000 to manage native and invasive vegetation for healthy forests and waterways.

Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.5 million in EE grant funding per year, for a total of over $75 million supporting more than 3,700 grant projects. The program traditionally provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques.

To learn more about current grant recipients, prior grants awarded, or to apply for future EE grant competitions, visit: https://www.epa.gov/education