| Montreal, 29/08/2001 – The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) today announced grants awarded by the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation (NAFEC) to seventeen nongovernmental organizations in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Grant recipients will receive up to US$25,000 for projects within two categories: (1) Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity involving Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); and (2) Enhancing community access to information and participation in addressing issues related to children's health and the environment.
Funds totaling US$411,400 were awarded in this latest round of grants. Nearly 300 organizations submitted proposals for community-based environmental projects.
The fund, which has made 160 grants totaling US$5.82 million, was created in October 1995 by the three North American environment ministers to support community-based projects that promote the goals and objectives of the CEC.
Grantees are chosen by a committee composed of six members, two from each country. Committee members look for projects that produce concrete results and ideally make the link between the community and the North American continent.
The CEC, which is equally funded by the three NAFTA partners, is based in Montreal, Canada.
The 2001 NAFEC grants are as follows (amounts are expressed in US dollars):
Community Strategy on Fisheries and Tourism Management in the Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak Protected Natural Area (Mexico)
Amigos de Sian Ka'an A.C. ($25,000)
On the Path of the Grey Whale: Linking Local MPA Efforts from Baja California to the Bering Sea (Canada)
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - British Columbia Chapter ($25,000)
Strengthening Public Participation in the Conservation of the "Arrecifes de Cozumel" Protected Natural Area (Mexico)
Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, A.C. (CEMDA) ($25,000)
Marine Protected Areas Initiative (USA)
Conservation Law Foundation, inc. ($25,000)
Orca Pass International Stewardship Area: The Outreach and Involvement Campaign (Canada-US)
People for Puget Sound ($25,000)
Developing Economic Incentives for Marine Resource Conservation in Two Marine Protected Areas of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico (Mexico-US)
Wildcoast ($25,000)
Igaliqtuuq: Community Stewardship of a Bowhead Whale Sanctuary (Canada)
World Wildlife Fund Canada ($12,900)
Alaska Incineration Project (USA)
Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) ($25,000)
"Operation Wells": A Project to have Children Monitor Groundwater (Canada)
Comité de valorisation de la rivière Beauport (CVRB) ($25,000)
Air for Health Education Program: Promoting Air quality and Health Issue Links in School Curriculums (Canada)
Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. ($23,500)
Environmental Health, Latinas Taking Action in Colonia Chilpancingo: An Environmental Education and Empowerment Training Program (Mexico-US)
Environmental Health Coalition ($25,000)
Building the Capacity of Children Farmworkers and Their Families to Better Address Environmental Health Hazards (USA)
Farmworker Health and Safety Institute ($25,000)
Reduction of lead exposure and emissions in the community of Santa Fe de la Laguna, Mexico(Mexico)
Grupo Interdisciplinario de Tecnología Rural Apropiada (GIRA), A.C. ($25,000)
National Right-to-Know Network (Mexico)
Presencia Ciudadana Mexicana, A.C. ($25,000)
Encouraging Public Participation in the Protection of Children's Health and the Environment (Mexico)
Trasparencia, Sociedad Civil ($25,000)
Health + Pollution (Canada)
Université de Moncton, Groupe de recherche Littoral et vie ($25,000)
Healthy Schools, Healthy Children Project (USA)
Washington Toxics Coalition ($25,000)
For more information on NAFEC contact Mihaela Vulpescu at (514) 350-4357, by e-mail at <nafec@ccemtl.org>, or visit <http://www.cec.org/grants/index.cfm?varlan=english>.
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