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Press Release

May 14, 2009

House Passes "Green" Schools Bill with Davis's Water Conservation Provision

Bill would modernize schools, make them more energy efficient

WASHINGTON – Rep. Susan Davis (D-San Diego) voted to improve public schools, create clean energy jobs, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, and lower energy costs for taxpayers.

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 2187) includes a provision to promote water conservation at schools that was authored by Davis when the bill was in the House Education and Labor Committee.

Under Davis’s language, funding from the bill could go toward improving a school’s outdoor water systems and craft landscaping to minimize water use, including elimination of irrigation systems for landscaping.  Efforts to reduce indoor water use would also be eligible for funding under the bill.

“Our schools should be safe and healthy learning environments for our children,” said Davis. “This will give us a chance to upgrade our school buildings and boost student achievement while creating good local jobs in new, clean energy industries.”

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act provides over $6 billion in federal funds to upgrade school buildings to make them more energy efficient and more reliant on renewable sources of energy.  The bill would also generate long-term savings for schools by reducing energy expenses.

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.  Davis is a cosponsor of H.R. 2187, which was approved by the House of Representatives on a vote of 275-155.

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