Rep. Johnson votes to help schools go green, create jobs
May 14, 2009
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) voted in favor of H.R. 2187 on May 13, “The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act,” which provides more than $6 billion in federal funds to upgrade schools by making them more energy efficient and more reliant on renewable sources of energy.
If passed by the Senate, the legislation would improve public schools, create clean energy jobs, reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil and lower energy costs for taxpayers, all while creating more than 135,000 jobs.
“This is exactly the kind of smart legislation we need to get out of this economic crisis,” said Johnson.
“This bill saves money for our schools, creates jobs and gets us closer to our goal of providing every child with a world class education by giving more students and teachers a safe, environmentally friendly learning environment. At the same time, it modernizes our schools and prepares our workers for a new, clean American energy economy.”
Georgia would receive $221.5 million under the plan. Of that total, the DeKalb County School System could receive $17.5 million, Gwinnett County Schools more than $11 million, Rockdale County Schools about $1.5 million and Decatur City Schools $341,000.
The bill also generates long-term savings for schools by reducing energy expenses. Green schools reduce pollution by using about 30 percent less water and energy than conventional schools, and emit almost 40 percent less harmful carbon dioxide.
That amounts to more than $96,000 a year in savings on power and water costs per school.
“Our schools should be safe and healthy learning environments for our children,” said Johnson. “This bill gives us a chance to upgrade our school buildings and boost student achievement while creating good local jobs in new, clean-energy industries.”
According to calculations by the Economic Policy Institute, this legislation’s construction funding would support as many as 136,000 new jobs – many in areas that will give workers the valuable skills they need to excel in a clean-energy economy.
The bill also authorizes separate funds for public schools along the Gulf Coast that were damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – $600 million over the next six years. Many students in the region still attend school in temporary classrooms because of the extensive damage to permanent facilities.
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