Opportunities and Webinars  

2018 Summer Intern Session - Time to Apply

The 2018 Summer Internship Session application period has begun. DEC is encouraging students who have completed at least two years of college to apply for summer job opportunities through the New New York Leaders: Student Intern Program. Students interested in summer part-time employment with NYS should visit the internship portal and:

• Submit an application, including contact information; academic background; occupational, geographical, and employment preferences; and
• Upload a resume, including a two to three page writing sample and an optional letter of recommendation. 

Resumes will be accepted until April 20, 2018. However, interested students are encouraged to act immediately to ensure their potential placement. 

If you have any questions or would like additional information on the New New York Leaders: Student Intern Program, please reach out to the Student Intern Program Staff at nysinternships@cs.ny.gov or (518) 473-9945.

Equitable Development Webinar

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be hosting a free webinar to discuss the concerns of minority and low-income communities regarding pollution exposures that result from zoning or planning involving pollution sources in or near residential neighborhoods.

The webinar will focus on a new initiative in California, the “Planning for Healthy Communities Act,” which requires many local jurisdictions to adopt environmental justice goals and policies, or an ‘Environmental Justice Element," into their General Plans. If you are interested in finding out more about this Act, register for the webinar, which will be held on Friday, February 23, 2018, from 1:30PM - 2:30PM EST,

During this webinar, environmental justice and land use experts will explain the intent and history behind the law,l discuss how and why communities can integrate environmental justice into local planning efforts, and provide an introduction to the Act's Implementation Toolkit.  

When registering: If you are not a member of a Division or Chapter of the American Planning Association, please type "EPA" in the required registration field titled "Division or Chapter in which you belong."

For more information about the webinar's content, contact Carlton Eley at eley.carlton@epa.gov

For registration questions or technical issues, contact Benjamin Frost at bfrost@nhhfa.org

You can also review information on past and upcoming webcasts offered by the American Planning Association.

Grant Opportunity Reminder 

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program, administered by EPA, provides funding to support community-based organizations in their efforts to collaborate and partner with local stakeholder groups (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical providers, and academia) as they develop and implement solutions that address environmental and/or public health issues for underserved communities. The EJCPS program will award approximately $1.2 million nationwide for this competitive opportunity. EPA anticipates awarding ten cooperative agreements (one in each of the ten EPA Regions) of up to $120,000 each.

See additional details at the following link: FY2018 EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving RFP webpage.

Eligible entities for this opportunity include:

• incorporated non-profit organizations - including, but not limited to, environmental justice networks, faith-based organizations and those affiliated with religious institutions
• federally recognized tribal governments, ncluding Alaska Native Villages; OR
• tribal organizations 

If your organization is NOT eligible, we encourage partnering with eligible entities on an EJCPS project. See the RFP for more information.

To apply, visit the EJCPS program website to access the full RFP including instructions on applying through Grants.gov: FY2018 EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving RFP webpage

Full Proposal Due Date: Friday, February 16, 2018 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Dr. Dorceta Taylor has been called the country's preeminent environmental justice scholar and is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability. Dr. Taylor is a presenter at the Moving Forward Initiative Plenary at The Trail Ahead - The Corps Network 2018 National Conference. 
Read her story on The Corps Network blog.