Highlights June 13, 2013

June 13: EPA Announces More Than $3 Million in Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants to Help Facilitate Environmental Stewardship and Cleanup Across the Country http://go.usa.gov/bmHW

June 13: EPA Offers Smart Growth Assistance to Rhode Island; Mississippi County, Arkansas; Kelso, Washington http://go.usa.gov/bmHC

June 12: EPA Awards $2 Million for Small Business Innovation Research: Promoting Green Jobs http://go.usa.gov/bP3d

June 4: EPA and Ovie Mughelli Foundation Sign MOU to Advance Environmental Education

EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe and Ovie Mughelli, two-time all pro former fullback for the Atlanta Falcons and President of the Ovie Mughelli Foundation, signed a memorandum of understanding on June 4, 2013 to bring quality, innovative educational programs about the environment to our nation's youth. The Ovie Mughelli Foundation empowers youth to take ownership and pride in their lives and the roles they play in society and emphasizes implementing and assisting quality programs that educate youth about the environment.

To learn more about environmental education at EPA: http://www2.epa.gov/education

To learn more about the Ovie Mughelli Foundation: http://oviemughellifoundation.org

Featured Highlight

June is "Great Outdoors" Month: President Obama said in his recent Presidential Proclamation establishing June 2013 as Great Outdoors Month, "For centuries, America's great outdoors have given definition to our national character and inspired us toward bold new horizons. This month, let us reflect on those timeless gifts, and let us vow to renew them in the years to come." In 2010, he issued a memorandum creating the America's Great Outdoors Initiative as a strategy to help Americans conserve natural and wild places so that they may continue to be used for recreation. Be sure to use the warm summer months to try new outdoor activities. Here are some ideas and helpful tips:

1. Take a hike and check the air quality http://go.usa.gov/dfb and UV Index http://go.usa.gov/dfD with these helpful apps

2. Young fishing enthusiasts can discover what kinds of fish are safe to eat http://go.usa.gov/dfW

3. Heading to the beach? Be SunWise and slop on some sunscreen www.epa.gov/sunwise and check for beach closures http://go.usa.gov/dfX

4. Get outside and enjoy green spaces at National Parks http://go.usa.gov/df5 and close to home http://go.usa.gov/dfn

5. Bike to work and see how much you save with the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator http://go.usa.gov/bXXV

6. Create a backyard GreenScape and bring nature close to home http://go.usa.gov/dfP

7. Check out Landscape Irrigation Controllers through EPA's WaterSense program to help you keep your garden green while using less water http://go.usa.gov/dfE

We wish you a safe and enjoyable time as you explore your environment during Great Outdoors Month! For the 2013 Presidential Proclamation: http://go.usa.gov/bKtV

Recent Videos and Social Media

Subscribe to the EPA's YouTube channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS0NBm0QTFs

Look beneath the surface. Address the Issues. Expand the Conversation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdwC03n2whQ

The Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a federal interagency partnership between EPA, HUD, and DOT, coordinates federal investments to create more livable communities. This video shows an example of the Partnership in action in Bridgeport, CT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwbai66DaD0

We want to hear from you! Get inspired and comment on one of our blog posts. http://blog.epa.gov/blog/

Connect with EPA

Flat Stanley and Stella Arrive at the EPA

Share your child's stories with EPA! Join Flat Stanley and Stella while they bring children along on their environmental adventures

BeGreen2013 is an environmental movement that conveys the power of an individual's choice and shows how actions, no matter how small, can help make a difference to sustain our environment. Take action today and make a pledge!

Sustainable Communities Town Hall (June 17)

For the fourth anniversary of the HUD-DOT-EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities, there will be a Twitter town hall on Monday, June 17 at 1:30pm ET. Join us for a virtual discussion with officials and watch the live webstream.

Twitter users may ask questions in advance or during the Town Hall using hashtag #sustainableqs (you don't need a Twitter account to just watch the town hall event).