One morning in 2003, just days before they were set to return to China, the Chang family left the embassy with plans to settle in the United States. Ĭhang and his family arrived in the United States in 2001, and during his tenure at the Chinese Embassy he cooked for then- Vice President Hu Jintao. After working in luxury hotels and winning national cooking competitions in China, Chang was encouraged to take the foreign service cooking test, earning a two-year contract to work in the Embassy of China in Washington, D.C. He was assigned to work on a cruise ship on the Yangtze river, where he met his wife, Lisa. Peter Chang ( simplified Chinese: 张鹏亮 traditional Chinese: 張鵬亮) is a Chinese chef specializing in Sichuan cuisine who is known for his restaurants in Virginia and other states in the Southeastern United States.Įarly life and emigration to America Ĭhang was born in 1963 in a farming village Hubei Province, attending culinary school in. Taste of China, Charlottesville, Virginia (2009 - 2010) Hong Kong House, Knoxville, Tennessee (2008)

Tasty China, Marietta, Georgia (September 2006 - 2007) If you are interested in being notified when grant deadlines are announced, sign up for our email list on DEC's homepage and select 'Grants' from the topic list.TemptAsian, Alexandria (February 2006 - May 2006)Ĭhina Gourmet/Szechuan Boy, Fairfax, Virginia (May 2006 - July 2006) When grants administered by DEC become available, they are listed on the Grants web page.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Department of Environmental Conservation.

Several New York State agencies administer the funds and award grants to eligible state-led projects, or to partnerships, either between state agencies and municipalities or between state agencies and nonprofit organizations: Projects selected to receive resources are chosen based on a number of variable criteria, depending on the category. the Farmland Protection Program), as well as spending authorizations included in year-to-year budget appropriations. Additionally, some purposes are authorized in other sections of state law (i.e.

Parks, Recreation and Historic PreservationĮach category has legislatively designated uses per Section 92-S of the State Finance Law, described in detail in Article 54 of State Environmental Conservation Law.

As a trust fund created in state law, these resources must be kept separate from other state monies.įormer Governor Andrew Cuomo recognized the 20th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Fund, noting 'Smart EPF investments in communities across the state are protecting New York's air, land, water and natural resources, helping to expand recreation opportunities that attract tens of millions of visitors each year and promote economic development.' The ProcessĮach year, during the budget negotiations, the legislature and governor negotiate the level of funding that will go into the EPF and assign amounts to specific categories within three accounts: Over the past 20 years, the EPF has provided more than $2.7 billion for a variety of environmental projects. The EPF has gradually grown from its original appropriation of $31 million in fiscal year 1994-1995. HistoryĬreated by the state legislature in 1993, the Environmental Protection Fund is financed primarily through a dedicated portion of real estate transfer taxes. Read the EPF 20th Anniversary Report (PDF) to learn about all the great projects that have been accomplished using this dedicated funding. Through partnerships with volunteer organizations, state agencies use stewardship funding to manage trails and lands, protect natural resources, preserve wildlife habitats, make critical capital improvements at parks and campgrounds, educate students about conservation and provide access to persons with disabilities. The EPF also supports the stewardship of public lands, including state parks and millions of acres of public lands throughout the state. Helping business develop ways to recycle material.Cleaning up waterfront property and creating a public park.Upgrading municipal sewage treatment plants.Purchasing land for the NYS Forest Preserve.Some examples of projects using EPF money are: Most projects that receive grants of EPF money combine it with other funding sources that require matching funds. Capital projects are usually large projects that purchase land or construct facilities. New York State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) is a source of funding for capital projects that protect the environment and enhance communities.

Pf changes new york