Institute of Museum and Library Services Green Ribbon Award Program

(a) Purpose The purpose of this section is to develop and implement a Green Ribbon award program for nonformal learning institutions at the Institute of Museum and Library Services in order to recognize and help advance excellence in the greening of nonformal learning institutions. (b) Definition In this section, the term nonformal learning institutions includes public and private libraries, museums, arboretums, botanical gardens, nature centers, historical societies, historic preservation organizations, history museums, science and technology centers, planetariums, children’s museums, art museums, general museums, natural history museums, natural science museums, zoos, aquariums, and wildlife conservation centers. (c) Establishment Consistent with section 209 of the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9107), the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall establish an award program for nonformal learning institutions modeled on the Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools Program. The award program shall recognize and honor nonformal learning institutions that demonstrate high achievement in all 3 of the following goals: (1) Ensuring that their visitors are exposed through multiple learning modes to locally relevant information to advance understanding of the interconnection of the natural environment, built environment, and quality of life. (2) Significantly reducing their net environmental and carbon footprints, while using their own built and natural environment as a learning laboratory and a model of best practice for their host community. (3) Ensuring their institution has a net positive environmental impact on visitor and staff health. (d) Award The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall provide each national award winner under this section with an honorarium of $10,000. (e) Consultation The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to align the award program under this section with the science on school health studied by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.