US House Tries to Make Schools Greener

While the fallout from the Democrats race for the White House took center stage on Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a $20 billion plan to help states renovate and build schools to make them better for the environment and more energy efficient.

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act passed 250-164 but still must be taken up by the Senate. The Bush Administration has threatened a veto, citing the cost of a new federal school building program.

The bill sets aside $6.4 billion for the 2009 budget year and similar amounts in the following four years. The goal is to aid school districts in modernizing facilities to help make schools more energy efficient, promote student and employee health, and improve the learning environment.

New projects would have to meet LEED, Energy Star, or Collaborative for High Performance Schools standards. According to the Associated Press, "Requirements for meeting the green standards would be phased in, but by 2013 90% of the funds would have to be used for green projects."

Supporters of the bill cited studies that "a green school uses 35% less energy than a conventional school, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40%, and uses 30% less water."

Bill opponents called the measure a "green scheme", warned that it could divert funds from federal programs for disabled and poor students, and saw the bill as "an intrusion into education matters normally under the jurisdiction of states and local governments."

Under the funding plan in place, no school would receive less than $5000.