Governor Hochul Announces $59 Million "Clean Green Schools" Initiative To Improve Air Quality And Reduce Carbon Emissions In Pre-K-12 Schools
FROM NYSERDA:
Education Leaders to Convene in Fall to Discuss Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency and Healthy Solutions for More Than 500 Schools in Disadvantaged Communities.
Governor Kathy Hochul today allocated $59 million for the new Clean Green Schools initiative, which aims to advance clean energy and energy efficiency solutions that will improve indoor air quality and reduce emissions for more than 500 public and private Pre-K-12 schools in disadvantaged communities across the state. As part of the program, the State will convene education leaders this fall, including school superintendents, administrators, and educators, to inform the initiative launching in early 2022 to address climate justice issues and create improved, healthier learning environments for students. Today's announcement supports New York's nation-leading goal of an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act).
Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director, Climate Jobs NY, said, "We are happy to see this important step by NYSERDA to advance school retrofits and solar power, prioritizing disadvantaged communities, and we look forward to working with the Hochul administration to ensure these projects create community-supporting, family-sustaining union jobs and careers. NYSERDA's initiative can model best-practices for energy audits, whole-building retrofits, and solar power, and investing in schools presents such an opportunity. If we retrofit all the school buildings in New York City, for example, as our Carbon Free and Healthy Schools campaign advocates, we can save schools $70 million each year in energy costs, make schools healthier and safer for kids and the school community, and create thousands of good union jobs. It's an effort that everyone -- unions, parents, teachers, students, community leaders -- can get behind."