It was a fantastic afternoon for Earth Conservancy (EC), as US EPA Region 3 Administrator Cecil Rodrigues revealed three $200,000 Brownfields Cleanup grants had been awarded to EC. Two grants will support reclamation of Bliss Bank. One will help fund restoration of Espy Run. Moreover, a fourth $200,000 grant – through EPA’s Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program – added to our cause for celebration. The award will play a pivotal role in launching our Environmental Workforce Training Program in collaboration with our partner, Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
In addition to Mr. Rodrigues, speakers included EC’s President/CEO, Mike Dziak; Congressman Lou Barletta’s District Director, Conrad Falvello; and Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Chancellor, Dr. Dale Jones. Also given recognition were the many other partners on the EWT Program, including the Luzerne-Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board, the Lackawanna County and Pocono Counties Workforce Development Boards, the Northern Tier Regional Planning Development Commission, EOTC, and EPCAMR. We appreciate everyone who helped make this an amazing event and continue to support our work.
Pictured below, left to right: 1.) EPA Project Officer Jeff Barnett chats with Dr. Dale Jones, Chancellor of PSU Wilkes-Barre. 2.) EPA Region 3 Acting Administrator Cecil Rodrigues talks with PSU Wilkes-Barre faculty and staff, including Jane Ashton (center), Director of Continuing Education. 3.) Crowd awaiting the award announcements. 4.) Rodrigues. 5.) Dziak. 6.) Favello. 7.) Jones. 8.) View of Hanover 9 field, where event occurred.
