Bill Summary
The Renew America's Schools Act of 2019 is a bill that proposes the allocation of funds for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements at public school facilities. The bill defines key terms such as "eligible entity" and "energy improvement" and outlines the authority and criteria for awarding these grants. It also sets priorities for eligible entities, including those with high funding needs and those serving a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The bill outlines how grant funds can be used, including for operation and maintenance training, energy audits, and developing a continuing education curriculum. It also includes requirements for labor wages and competition in the contract process. Eligible entities are required to report to the Secretary on their use of funds and the results of the improvements. The Secretary is also directed to develop guidelines and best practices for carrying out the activities outlined in the bill. The bill authorizes $100 million to be appropriated for each fiscal year from 2020 to 2025 for these grants.
Possible Impacts
1. The "Renew America's Schools Act of 2019" could affect students and teachers in public schools by providing funding for improvements that could directly impact their health, such as improving indoor air quality and lighting, as well as reducing energy costs for the school.
2. The Act could also have an effect on local educational agencies and their ability to raise funds for construction and renovation projects, as the criteria for awarding grants includes an assessment of their fiscal capacity.
3. The Act could also affect small, minority, and women-owned businesses by giving them priority in the bidding process for contracts related to the energy improvements funded by the grants.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1890 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 383
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1890
To provide for grants for energy efficiency improvements and renewable
energy improvements at public school facilities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 18, 2019
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms.
Stabenow, Ms. Harris, and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
December 18, 2019
Reported by Ms. Murkowski, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for grants for energy efficiency improvements and renewable
energy improvements at public school facilities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Renew America's Schools Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
IMPROVEMENTS AT PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
consortium of--
(A) one local educational agency; and
(B) one or more--
(i) schools;
(ii) nonprofit organizations;
(iii) for-profit organizations; or
(iv) community partners that have the
knowledge and capacity to partner and assist
with energy improvements.
(2) Energy improvement.--The term ``energy improvement''
means--
(A) any improvement, repair, or renovation, to a
school that will result in a direct reduction in school
energy costs, including improvements to building
envelope, air conditioning, ventilation, heating
system, domestic hot water heating, compressed air
systems, distribution systems, lighting, power systems,
and controls;
(B) any improvement, repair, renovation, or
installation that leads to an improvement in teacher
and student health, including indoor air quality,
daylighting, ventilation, electrical lighting, green
roofs, outdoor gardens, and acoustics;
(C) the installation of renewable energy
technologies (such as wind power, photovoltaics, solar
thermal systems, geothermal energy, hydrogen-fueled
systems, biomass-based systems, biofuels, anaerobic
digesters, and hydropower) involved in the improvement,
repair, or renovation of a school;
(D) the installation of zero-emissions vehicle
infrastructure on school grounds for exclusive use of
school buses, school fleets, or students, or for the
general public; and
(E) the purchase or lease of zero-emissions
vehicles, including school buses, fleet vehicles, and
other operational vehicles.
(3) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(4) Partnering local educational agency.--The term
``partnering local educational agency'', when used with respect
to an eligible entity, means the local educational agency
participating in the eligible entity.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(6) Zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure.--The term
``zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure'' means infrastructure
used to charge or fuel--
(A) a zero-emission vehicle (as defined in section
88.102-94 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or
successor regulation)); or
(B) a vehicle that produces zero exhaust emissions
of any criteria pollutant (or precursor pollutant) or
greenhouse gas under any possible operational modes or
conditions.
(b) Authority.--From amounts made available for grants under this
section, the Secretary shall award competitive grants to eligible
entities to make energy improvements authorized by this section.
(c) Applications.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary may require.
(2) Contents.--The application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall include each of the following:
(A) A needs assessment of the current condition of
the school and facilities that are to receive the
energy improvements.
(B) A draft work plan of what the eligible entity
hopes to achieve at the school and a description of the
energy improvements to be carried out.
(C) A description of the capacity of the eligible
entity to provide services and comprehensive support to
make the energy improvements.
(D) An assessment of the applicant's expected needs
of the eligible entity for operation and maintenance
training funds, and a plan for use of those funds, if
any.
(E) An assessment of the expected energy efficiency
and safety benefits of the energy improvements.
(F) A cost estimate of the proposed energy
improvements.
(G) An identification of other resources that are
available to carry out the activities for which funds
are requested under this section, including the
availability of utility programs and public benefit
funds.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subsection, the
Secretary shall give a priority to eligible entities--
(1) that have renovation, repair, and improvement funding
needs; and
(2)(A) that serve a high percentage, as determined by the
Secretary, of students who are eligible for a free or reduced
price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) (which may be calculated for
students in a high school (as defined by section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801)) using data from the schools that feed into the high
school); or
(B) with a participating local educational agency
designated with a school district locale code of 41, 42, or 43,
as determined by the National Center for Education Statistics
in consultation with the Bureau of the Census.
(e) Competitive Criteria.--The competitive criteria used by the
Secretary to award grants under this section shall include the
following:
(1) The difference between the fiscal capacity of the
eligible entity to carry out, and the needs of the partnering
local educational agency for, energy improvements at school
facilities, including--
(A) the current and historic ability of the
partnering local educational agency to raise funds for
construction, renovation, modernization, and major
repair projects for schools;
(B) whether the partnering local educational agency
has been able to issue bonds or receive other funds to
support current infrastructure needs of the partnering
local educational agency; and
(C) the bond rating of the partnering local
educational agency.
(2) The likelihood that the partnering local educational
agency or eligible entity will maintain, in good condition, any
facility whose improvement is assisted.
(3) The potential energy efficiency and safety benefits
from the proposed energy improvements.
(f) Use of Grant Amounts.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
this section shall use the grant amounts only to make the
energy improvements described in the application, subject to
the other provisions of this subsection.
(2) Operation and maintenance training.--An eligible entity
receiving a grant under this section may use not more than 5
percent of the grant amounts for operation and maintenance
training for energy efficiency and renewable energy
improvements (such as maintenance staff and teacher training,
education, and preventative maintenance training).
(3) Audit.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this
section may use funds under the grant for a third-party
investigation and analysis for energy improvements (such as
energy audits and existing building commissioning).
(4) Continuing education.--An eligible entity receiving a
grant under this section may use not more than 3 percent of the
grant amounts to develop a continuing education curriculum
relating to energy improvements.
(g) Contracting Requirements.--
(1) Davis-bacon.--Any laborer or mechanic employed by any
contractor or subcontractor in the performance of work on any
energy improvements funded by a grant under this section shall
be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on
similar construction in the locality as determined by the
Secretary of Labor under subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title
40, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Davis-
Bacon Act'').
(2) Competition.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant
under this section shall ensure that, if the eligible entity
uses grant funds to carry out repair or renovation through a
contract, any such contract process--
(A) ensures the maximum number of qualified
bidders, including small, minority, and women-owned
businesses, through full and open competition; and
(B) gives priority to businesses located in, or
resources common to, the State or the geographical area
in which the project is carried out.
(h) Reporting.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary, at such time as the Secretary
may require, a report describing the use of such funds for energy
improvements, the estimated cost savings realized by those energy
improvements, the results of any audit, the use of any utility programs
and public benefit funds, and the use of performance tracking for
energy improvements (such as the Energy Star program established under
section 324A of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C.
6294a) or the United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system for
existing buildings).
(i) Best Practices.--The Secretary shall develop and publish
guidelines and best practices for activities carried out under this
section.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2020 through 2025.
Calendar No. 383
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1890
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for grants for energy efficiency improvements and renewable
energy improvements at public school facilities.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 18, 2019
Reported without amendment