Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Chairman, first, I want to thank the majority and the minority because my understanding is they have accepted this amendment, and I appreciate that very much.
The legislative intent of this amendment is to increase the funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's EnergyStar Program in K-12 school systems by $1.8 million offset by a reduction in administrative expenses for the Department of the Interior.
Mr. Chairman, our Nation's 17,450 school districts are facing serious problems. Their budgets are threadbare, and most can barely pay their teachers a living wage. To make matters worse, America's school buildings are aging. The average age is over 42 years, and the vast majority could greatly benefit from energy saving improvements.
According to the EPA, energy costs represent a typical school district's second largest operating expense after salaries, more than the cost of computers and textbooks combined. Amazingly, in a typical school, one-third of the energy used goes to waste, largely due to old and poorly functioning equipment, poor insulation, and outdated technology.
Unfortunately, school administrators are often hard pressed to allocate any of their limited funds toward improving the energy efficiency of their buildings and systems, even when it is clear that such improvements would save them substantial sums of money that could help pay for their other needs.
Fortunately, the EPA has an energy conservation program that can help these schools do just that: to implement energy-saving strategies that save money, help children learn about energy, and create improved teaching and learning environments.
The EPA's EnergyStar Program, in its partnership with America's K through 12 school districts, is committed to building a new national infrastructure of schools that are smart about every aspect of energy.
In addition to helping school districts save up to 30 percent on their energy bills each year, energy efficiency prevents greenhouse gas emissions and improves the students' learning environment. Schools that are well lit, well ventilated, and in good repair create a healthy, comfortable learning and teaching environment. A better physical environment is among the many factors that have been demonstrated to contribute to increased learning and productivity in the classroom, which in turn affects performance and achievement.
Right now, more than 200 school districts across the country are partnering with EnergyStar. But for a Nation whose schools spend $5 billion annually on energy, there is obviously a lot of work to do. Of the 11,000 school buildings that have been rated, only 16 percent of the Nation's total school building inventory, only 530 schools have earned an EnergyStar rating by achieving a score of 75 or higher, a score that means that they use about 40 percent less energy than average buildings.
Fortunately, the EPA is now working with partners such as the National School Boards Association, the National Parent-Teacher Association, and the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council to collaboratively improve the energy efficiency and the indoor environments of many more of our Nation's K through 12 schools. These efforts are helping school districts to save big on utility bills and maintenance costs, in turn freeing up funds to pay for books, computers and teachers, and to improve indoor air quality and comfort. These efforts deserve our support.
In short, Mr. Chairman, the EnergyStar Program helps our Nation's schools to implement energy saving strategies that save money, help children learn about energy and create improved teaching and learning environments. This amendment would add $1,800,000 to this important work in our Nation's K through 12 school systems.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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