Connecticut’s Bond Commission has approved an additional $150 million to upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in public schools across the state.
It’s part of $600 million in borrowing approved by the commission on Friday, Dec. 15, its last meeting of the year.
The additional money means a total of $225 million has been approved for school ventilation upgrades in Connecticut this year.
The upgrades are much needed considering the effects of climate change, said Governor Ned Lamont, who chairs the bond commission.
“Coming out of the hottest summer in history, we want to keep our schools open, keep them open safely during those shoulder months, May, September and June, this is a new expense. It just reminds me that if you think the cost of dealing with global warming is expensive. You ought to see the cost of not dealing with global warming,” Lamont said.
State officials urge school districts to apply for the grants before the Dec. 31 deadline,
“We encourage all school districts looking at that opportunity. And to ensure that they hit submit on their applications. We have a number of pending, within the system and we want to ensure that all eligible school districts apply for this program,” said Michelle Gilman, the commissioner of administrative services.
The bond commission also approved an additional $6 million for the Clean School Bus Program.
The money would assist municipalities in dealing with some of the costs associated with replacing existing school buses with zero-emission or low-emission models.
