Cortez Masto Applauds Implementation of Her Legislation to Support School Infrastructure and Sustainability Improvements

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the implementation of bipartisan legislation from her Innovation State Initiative that she secured as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help America’s schools make energy-efficiency infrastructure upgrades and purchase electric school buses.

Today, the Biden administration announced that it would be rolling out over $500 million in grant funding from Senator Cortez Masto’s Renew America’s Schools Act to provide support to America’s schools to make critical infrastructure upgrades that improve ventilation and energy efficiency and reduce costs. The Environmental Protection Agency also announced that later this month, it will provide funding the senator has supported to help school districts purchase new fleets of electric and alternative fuel school buses. Recent studies have shown that improving air quality in and near schools boosts students’ test scores and learning.

“Nevada is a leader in the use of energy efficient technologies, and this much-needed funding I secured will bring that innovation into our schools nationally, reduce costs for our school districts, and improve the health of our students,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll keep championing investments in our sustainable future that benefit our children, our communities, and our economy.”  

Senator Cortez Masto has been a strong advocate for increasing investment in infrastructure, including clean-energy infrastructure. Inspired by her visits to Nevada schools, the Senator introduced the bipartisan The Renew America’s Schools Act, which was passed as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law, and creates a federal grant program through the Department of Energy that provides $100 million yearly for five years so K-12 schools can make energy efficiency improvements. Eligible improvements include facility improvements for air quality, daylighting, ventilation, and lighting upgrades; installation of renewable energy technologies to power school systems; and the purchase of zero-emissions vehicles and infrastructure. Senator Cortez Masto also helped secure investments in the infrastructure law to help schools replace diesel school buses with electric school buses, invest in charging infrastructure, and support transportation workforce development.

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