Section 7522 - Declaration of policyThe General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Section 27 of Article I of the Constitution of Pennsylvania states that: "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people."(2) The State Board of Education has adopted environment and ecology curriculum standards identifying the concepts and understanding that students in kindergarten through grade 12 must attain at each level.(3) The Department of Education has primary responsibility for formal environmental education within this Commonwealth's schools. A quality education should provide each student with knowledge of natural and human resources, an understanding of geographic environments, knowledge of the interrelationships and interdependence of natural and human systems, the development of environmental problem solving and management skills and knowledge of and appropriate uses of energy.(4) The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have responsibility for adult and nonformal environmental education and a support role in basic and higher education. The Department of Environmental Protection shall provide environmental education support to adults, businesses, local officials and farmers, emphasizing environmental stewardship related to environmental laws, pollution reduction and prevention, sustainable energy issues and environmental problem solving.(5) The annual celebration of Earth Day is an opportunity for every citizen in this Commonwealth to reflect on our accomplishments in protecting the environment and on the challenges we face in creating an environmentally aware citizenry and sustainable communities.(6) Environmental education is critical to promoting a healthy environment and citizenry, sustainable communities and to the growth of Pennsylvania's economy.(7) A Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education is an essential component to help to identify the resources and products needed to comply with the environment and ecology standards, to assess the environmental knowledge and understanding of the public, to avoid duplication in the creation and delivery of environmental education programs to create an informed citizenry and sustainable communities.1993, June 22, P.L. 105, No. 24, §2, imd. effective. Amended 2008, July 9, P.L. 940, No. 71, § 1, imd. effective.