By Rita Neznek

Project Learning Tree, a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF), continues to work to secure cosponsors on the No Child Left Inside Act (HR 2054/S 866).  The legislation currently has 83 cosponsors in the House and 18 cosponsors in the Senate, an increase of over 20 cosponsors in the last three months.

Last month during a special AFF event featuring Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, AFF honored Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative John Sarbanes (D-MD) with an “Environmental Education Advocates of the Year” award for their leadership on the No Child Left Inside Act.

AFF was able to help add a number of new cosponsors to this legislation when members of AFF’s American Tree Farm System gathered in Washington, D.C. for their 16th annual Tree Farmer Convention, September 28-30.  During their time in D.C., 150 woodland owners met with over 170 Senators and Representatives to share personal stories about forest stewardship and sustainability, highlighting the need for policies that help keep their woodlands intact and environmental education legislation to help kids understand the role that forests and our environment play in our lives.

PLT Outstanding Educator Wanda Barrs and husband Earl attend a reception on Capitol Hill prior to a series of one-on-one meetings with Members of Congress.

Wanda Barrs, 1996 National PLT Outstanding Educator from Georgia, who along with her husband Earl were named the 2009 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year, was particularly excited to support the need for environmental education on the Hill. "We know as woodland owners that we can do everything in our power to keep our land healthy and intact, but if the public and decision makers in the town council, or the Halls of Congress don't value our lands, we'll never be able to hang on to them. That's why I was really excited to support the environmental education aspects of our agenda."

To address environmental education issues, woodland owners asked their Congressional delegations to endorse the No Child Left Inside Act (HR 2054/S 866) and support the use of revenue from climate legislation for an "Education for a Green Economy Fund" both of which will provide important federal support for environmental education in our nation’s school systems.

AFF is also supporting new legislation, the Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Regional Program and National Environmental Literacy Grant Program Act (HR 3644).  This legislation would authorize and increase funding for environmental education programs within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).

Meanwhile, Congress has passed the fiscal year 2010 funding bill, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, that includes funding for the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA), administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.  While the final bill did not provide a significant funding increase for the NEEA, thanks to the work of the PLT network along with our coalition partners such as the Campaign for Environmental Literacy, Council for Environmental Education, Earth Day Network, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, North American Association for Environmental Education, and Sierra Club, we are building a strong contingency of Congressional leaders to push for this funding in future years. There is an even greater opportunity for building political support, with a NEEA reauthorization bill expected to be introduced in Congress in the coming months. Please look for an action alert from the Foundation, so we can continue to raise the political support for environmental education funding that supports programs like PLT.

The Senate also continues its work on climate change and energy legislation, with the Environment and Public Works Committee, the lead Senate Committee on the bill, passing S 1733, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act out of Committee. Currently, the bill does not include significant funding for environmental education, however several Senators have recognized the need for resources for education, especially as the country shifts to train a new workforce and the general public regarding a clean energy economy. We expect a move by several key leaders in the Senate, including Senator Murray (D-WA), in the coming months.

To learn more about these issues, go to http://familyforestaction.org/forestfoundation/issues/bills/, and Join our Grassroots Action Network now!