The Energy Justice Law and Policy Center was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF) to expand the New Rochelle Eco-Ambassador Summer Program Marine Center! EJLPC will also be featured in LISCIF’s press event on Friday, May 17 with EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa Garcia!

The summer Marine Center will be situated at Five Islands Park and will serve as a hub for the New Rochelle Youth Bureau's Eco-Ambassador Program, offering field ecology and recreational experiences for more than twenty underserved youth each year.  This “earn and learn” summer program, which has operated for two years out of an elementary school classroom, will now have a dedicated space for daily fieldwork, summer youth employment, and projects focused on environmental justice.

The LISCIF is a joint effort by Restore America’s Estuaries, Long Island Sound Study, and the US Environmental Protection Agency to provide technical and financial assistance to communities with environmental justice concerns and improve the quality and accessibility of the Long Island Sound. The New Rochelle Eco-Ambassador Marine Center will do just that, addressing the concerning issue that many residents lack regular access to the Long Island Sound shoreline, particularly youth. Existing public parks in New Rochelle are limited in their recreational and educational resources, limiting opportunities for hands-on learning and environmental exploration.

This Center will build capacity, facilitating the expansion of the program to benefit even more young individuals in the future. We are incredibly excited about the positive impact this initiative will have on New Rochelle's youth and community.