Green Schools May Get a Boost in 2009

In May 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 2187), which would authorize $6.4 billion in fiscal year 2010 for school districts to modernize, renovate, and repair their buildings. (The funds would still need to be appropriated through the federal budget.) A key provision of the bill requires that a majority of funds (ramping up to 100% by 2015) be used on projects that meet green standards—those outlined by well-established programs like LEED, Energy Star, and the Collaborative for High-Performance Schools. The bill also authorizes separate funds to be used specifically in communities that have been affected by natural disasters—as in New Orleans, where the Recovery School District has already committed to building all new facilities to LEED Silver standards.

The Senate version of the bill has not yet been brought to a vote. If passed, it would likely authorize a similar amount of funding, with a provision for disaster-stricken areas, but would make the money available through competitive grants, prioritizing districts with the greatest need. Although the Senate version does not require that the money be spent on green measures, it is expected to give preference to green projects when awarding the grants. Either version of the bill could direct more than $32 billion to green schools over the next five years.