Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that $23 million will be distributed to four under-resourced school districts in New York State. The funding, provided through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, is part of the Clean Green Schools Initiative. This initiative aims to help schools install clean energy and building technologies, reduce energy use, and lower carbon emissions.
“These awards represent the first of several under-resourced school districts to benefit from these funds and will help to create healthier learning environments for New York students who need it most,” Governor Hochul said.
The program is managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). It offers incentives for eligible districts to carry out construction projects that improve energy efficiency in school buildings. Projects include comprehensive retrofits affecting overall energy consumption, electrification readiness, and converting heating or cooling systems to clean energy technologies like heat pumps. The four awarded districts serve about 10,000 students combined. At least four of their buildings are located in communities identified as disadvantaged by the Climate Justice Working Group. The projects are expected to save 19,000 MMBtus of energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 840 metric tons annually—the equivalent of taking over 200 gasoline-powered cars off the road each year.
“Today’s awards will create comfortable, healthy learning environments that demonstrate the impact of energy efficient and clean heating and cooling technologies in school buildings,” said Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA. “Transforming schools in New York’s under-resourced communities will ensure that all students are able to unlock their full potential as we make progress toward a cleaner future for the next generation.”
The specific district allocations are:
– Bradford Central School District (Schuyler County): $1.4 million for fully electrifying HVAC systems at its K-12 building with heat pumps and installing Energy Recovery Ventilators.
– Canajoharie Central School District (Montgomery County): Over $1.4 million for ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, a solar PV system across three buildings, plus an educational laboratory space.
– Cuba Rushford Central School District (Allegany County): Over $10 million for ground source and air source heat pumps serving most heating/cooling needs; upgrades to automation systems; lesson plans on clean energy; facility tours post-construction.
– North Rockland Central School District (Rockland County): Over $10 million for full HVAC electrification at two buildings using VRF heat pumps; high-performance windows; new coursework on clean energy.
This announcement marks the first round of awards from a total pool of $100 million set aside under the Environmental Bond Act earlier this year. NYSERDA is currently negotiating contracts with additional districts statewide.
All public school buildings in disadvantaged communities or those designated as high-needs by state education authorities were eligible for participation in this initiative. Of approximately 3,100 eligible schools across New York State, nearly 2,000 schools from 146 districts are receiving technical assistance related to indoor air quality assessments and identifying possible clean energy upgrades.
NYSERDA also provides technical support through its Flexible Technical Assistance Program to help schools evaluate opportunities for reducing costs via clean energy planning.
New York State Education Department Commissioner Betty A. Rosa stated: “Every child deserves to learn in a space that nurtures both their mind and their well-being… This funding will serve as a crucial lifeline to invest in safer, healthier school buildings—creating the conditions every student needs to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Amanda Lefton from the Department of Environmental Conservation commented: “Ensuring children have clean air to breathe and thrive is a top priority for Governor Hochul and DEC… leading to sustainable and healthy educational environments for New York State students.”
State Senator Kevin Parker added: “Today… we’re not just improving buildings. We’re uplifting the minds and futures of our children…”
State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said: “This funding will assist high-need districts with purchasing and installing technology… while alleviating financial burdens on disadvantaged schools…”
Superintendents from each awarded district expressed gratitude for how these grants would enable significant improvements in both facilities’ efficiency and educational opportunities without impacting local taxpayers.
For more than fifty years NYSERDA has worked on planning policy analysis related to sustainable development throughout New York State’s building sector—a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions—and invested over $5 billion toward decarbonizing infrastructure statewide.
New York’s broader climate agenda targets an emissions-free economy by 2050 through investments focused on affordability while prioritizing benefits for disadvantaged communities.
