The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has awarded more than $1 million in environmental education grants across the state, including funding for a project in Berks County aimed at advancing air quality research.
In total, $1,019,523 was distributed to 46 projects through the department’s Environmental Education Grants Program, supporting hands-on learning opportunities such as summer camps, field research, outdoor classrooms, and community-based environmental initiatives. According to the state, more than 75 percent of the funded projects will serve environmental justice or underserved communities.
In Berks County, Alvernia University received $4,995 for a pilot program focused on developing balloon-based air quality monitoring systems. The project will involve undergraduate engineering students designing and building high-altitude balloon controls capable of collecting atmospheric and air quality data.
State officials said the investment is designed to connect students and residents more directly with Pennsylvania’s natural resources while building practical skills in environmental science. “Environmental education is lifelong learning, and whether you are a kid or a kid at heart these projects will help connect you to the ways we can protect the air we breathe and the water we drink,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley.
The grants will fund a wide range of programs across Pennsylvania, including watershed-focused summer camps, student-led research on air and water quality, schoolyard gardens, and conservation workshops. Many of the projects are aligned with Pennsylvania’s STEELS standards, which emphasize sustainability, environmental literacy, and science-based learning.
Established under the Environmental Education Act of 1993, the program dedicates a portion of pollution fines and penalties collected by DEP to support environmental education initiatives. Since its creation, the program has awarded more than $16.1 million to approximately 2,370 projects statewide.
DEP officials said the program will continue later this year, with the next round of grant applications expected to open in August 2026.
