Rep. Doris Matsui Supports 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 14, 2009
CONTACT: Alexis Marks or Mara Lee
(202) 225-7163
Rep. Doris Matsui Supports 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities ActGreen Schools Initiative Would Invest Over $14.3 Million in Sacramento Schools to Provide Students with Modern, Healthier, More Environmentally-Friendly Classrooms
Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) voted in favor of H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities Act, which would make critical investments to provide more students with modern, healthier, more environmentally-friendly classrooms and provide an additional $14 million in federal investments in Sacramento schools.
"This legislation presents us with an opportunity to help boost student achievement, augment teachers' effectiveness, produce savings for schools and create clean energy jobs - all at once," said Congresswoman Matsui. "In Sacramento, it would provide $14,360,000 for school construction, repair and modernization and fuel our local economy."
The bi-partisan Green Schools Initiative, which passed the House today by a vote of 275-155, supports state and local educational agencies' efforts to provide public school students with schools that are safe, healthy and high-performing. It encourages local educational agencies to address the needs of low-income schools by prioritizing schools where modernization, renovation, and repair will most benefit students and teachers.
H.R. 2187, will also encourage partnerships like the one Sacramento City Unified School District has forged with Energy Education, which monitor systems in the district such as refrigerator use, air conditioning use, and the use of lights, to reduce both the cost and amount of water and energy usage.
Modernizing school buildings will help revive our economy by creating jobs and preparing our children for the clean energy jobs of the future. And by upgrading school buildings to make them more energy efficient and more reliant on renewable sources of energy, this bill works to help reduce the emissions that contribute to global warming.
Building green is also economically practical, adding average savings of $96,760 per year and $70 per square foot through dramatic reductions in water cost and energy consumption. Green schools reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions and provide improved ventilation, lighting, and air quality. Conversely, poor air quality in schools contributes to students' asthma, absences, and lower achievement.
"The safety and quality of our nation's public school facilities, student achievement, quality teacher retention, and the state of the environment are critical national concerns, and are all interrelated," stated Rep. Matsui.
The legislation applies to all Title 1A schools under existing federal formulas. The following Sacramento school districts are slated to receive federal funds under this legislation:
andbull; Sacramento City Unified School District - $8,904,000
andbull; Elk Grove Unified School District - $4,453,000
andbull; Folsom Cordova Unified School District - $1,003,000
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