The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) and Living Classrooms Foundation recently entered into a partnership to address anti-pollution efforts in the state.
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) approved the effort designed to reduce and prevent pollution to Maryland waterways and the Chesapeake Bay while encouraging and rewarding environmental education.
Living Classrooms seeks to strengthen communities and inspire potential through hands-on education via the use of job training and urban, natural, and maritime resources.
As part of the endeavor, MDOT SHA is investing in the program as part of its commitment to pollution reduction goals under the agency’s municipal stormwater permit. MDE is committed to working with MDOT SHA and Living Classrooms to establish a scientific basis for credits MDOT SHA would receive toward stormwater permit obligations for environmentally positive actions resulting from the educational program.
“One of the best ways to celebrate Earth Day is to get cleaner and greener by boosting education and inspiration,” Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles said. “By encouraging innovative partnerships with civic and education-based organizations, our state can deliver even greater results for healthy communities, climate-resilient watersheds, and a restored Chesapeake Bay.”
Proposed actions include reducing the use of fertilizer, building rain gardens, using rain barrels to reduce polluted stormwater runoff, or increasing the use of public transit to reduce emissions depositing nutrient pollution in the bay, per authorities.
“Living Classrooms is very excited about this partnership with MDOT-SHA,” James Piper Bond, president and CEO of Living Classrooms, said. “We are grateful to MDE for approval of this innovative pilot project that will help grow the next generation of environmental stewards while improving the health of our waterways.”