(a) The Corps Program's projects and activities shall meet an identifiable public need: (1) With specific emphasis on projects that result in long-term preservation, protection, and conservation of the environment, in areas including environmental restoration, agricultural and forestry, infrastructure, and educational improvements; or (2) Within a community disproportionately affected by climate impacts, with specific emphasis on climate mitigation and clean energy projects that result in long-term reductions to greenhouse gas emissions and improvements to public health and the environment. (b) Environmental restoration projects may include: (1) Specific nutrient reduction activities, such as planting of bay grasses and oysters and installing natural shorelines on public spaces; and (2) Working with communities to improve their environmental impacts and activities and to encourage appropriate environmental stewardship. (c) Agricultural and forestry projects may include working with Corps Program volunteers from rural areas of the State in partnership with the agricultural community in projects to prevent or reduce nutrient runoff. (d) Infrastructure projects may include: (1) Improving the energy efficiency of housing for elderly and low- income households; (2) Implementing clean energy projects in communities to enhance the use of renewable energy, including free and low-cost energy audits; and (3) Building or assisting in building infrastructure to promote environmental education including outdoor classrooms, nature trails, and schoolyard habitats and watershed restoration, stream restoration, rain gardens, and other low- impact development projects. (e) Educational projects may include: (1) Developing interactive environmental education and energy conservation education for elementary and secondary school students and the public; (2) Developing curriculum targeted at training high school students and apprentices to obtain skills necessary to create and implement clean energy projects in their communities and to compete for jobs in the emerging clean energy sector; and (3) Assisting schools to become "green schools" and reduce energy costs through hands-on projects with their students. (f) Energy conservation projects may include the projects defined in § 8- 1913(d) of this part. (g) Climate mitigation projects may include: (1) Projects to expand urban tree canopy, implement green rooftops, and take other actions to reduce urban heat island effects; and (2) Projects to improve access to clean, reliable transportation, including through the expansion of bike trails and pedestrian walkways. (h) Clean energy projects may include: (1) Projects to install renewable energy systems at low-income households and schools, libraries, and other public buildings; (2) Projects to undertake holistic retrofits of low-income households, including weatherization and heat pump installation; and (3) Projects to provide experience in the energy efficiency, environmental protection, governmental and regulatory administration, and renewable energy generation sectors.
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