Press Releases
House Passes Cartwright Bill to Make Schools More Energy EfficientBipartisan Act Would Help Schools Access Financing For Energy Projects
Washington, DC,
March 5, 2019
Today, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (PA-08) and Peter Welch (VT-AL) to help American schools become more energy efficient. The Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act establishes a one-stop clearinghouse for schools to access available federal resources to finance energy efficiency projects. In short, the bill would make it easier for schools to take full advantage of government programs that can improve their learning environments and cut their energy costs at the same time. The bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Nanette Díaz Barragán, Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Salud Carbajal, Sean Casten, Gil Cisneros, Steve Cohen, Gerry Connolly, Mark DeSaulnier, Brian Fitzpatrick, Katie Hill, Bill Keating, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Dave Loebsack, Alan Lowenthal, Doris Matsui, Donald McEachin, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Scott Peters, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Mike Quigley, Kathleen Rice, Paul Tonko, and Frederica Wilson. “This bill will benefit our nation’s children and help protect our environment, all while helping schools save their scarce resources to spend on other priorities,” said Rep. Cartwright. “Too many schools today desperately need vast improvements to meet their energy needs, and this bill helps them find the resources to do it.” “Investments in energy efficiency save money, create jobs, and improve the environment,” said Rep. Welch. “By streamlining federal programs and cutting red tape, our bipartisan bill will result in lower energy use and lower energy bills for taxpayer-funded school systems in Vermont and around the country.” Specifically, the Act would direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a clearinghouse for available programs and financing mechanisms that schools may use to finance energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy retrofitting projects. Senator Susan Collins, of Maine, introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The text of Rep. Cartwright’s bill can be found here. ### |