WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps today recognized seven local recipients of Bay Watershed Education and Training program (B-WET) grants at an event at the Ty Warner Sea Center in Santa Barbara.  The $375,000 in grants will be used to teach local students more about protecting our marine environment on the South and Central Coast.  Capps was joined at today’s news conference by Chris Mobley, Superintendent of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries, Seaberry Nachbar, with the California B-WET program, and the award recipients. 

“I am pleased to recognize these award recipients and thank them for their commitment to protecting our marine and coastal environments,” said Capps.  “We know how important it is to protect our oceans and we know the future of coastal and marine stewardship lies in the hands of our children.  Programs like B-WET encourage the next generation to get involved in protecting the environment and give them the tools to make a difference in their communities.  I have been very proud to work closely with NOAA, the Sanctuary Program and my colleagues in Congress to help build and expand the B-WET program.  It is an important tool to provide students, teachers and the entire community with important and practical environmental education.” 

The B-WET program, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was established in 2002 with demonstration programs in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Capps pushed to expand the program to include the Santa Barbara Channel watershed in 2006, and helped secure this most recent funding in the FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

Here is this year’s list of local B-WET awardees:

Art From Scrap, “Creek Kids Flows to the Ocean Research and Service Learning Project”

Channel Islands Marine Resource Institute, “Strengthening Marine and Watershed Education in
Multicultural Audiences of the SB Channel Region”

Oak Grove School, “Watershed Education, Restoration and Stewardship”
 
SB Museum of Natural History, “Channel WATCH (Watershed Activities for Teaching Coastal
Health)”

The Regents of the U. of C., Agriculture and Natural Resources, “Research and Education for
Students and Teachers supporting the Ormond Beach Restoration (RESTOR) Project”

UCSB, “Teacher Enrichment Adventure in Watershed Education and Training”

Ventura County Office of Education, “Channel Islands Live”

###

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.