I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4966 
To require the Secretary of Energy to provide grants for energy efficiency 
improvements and renewable energy improvements at public school facili-
ties, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 6, 2021 
Ms. MATSUI (for herself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. 
HUFFMAN, Mr. TAKANO, and Mr. BOWMAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Energy to provide grants for 
energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy im-
provements at public school facilities, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Healthier and Greener 
Schools Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS 
AND RENEWABLE ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS 
AT PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMUNITY OF COLOR.—The term ‘‘com-
munity of color’’ means a geographically distinct 
area in which the population of any of the following 
categories of individuals is higher than the average 
population of that category for the State in which 
the community is located: 
(A) Black. 
(B) African American. 
(C) Asian. 
(D) Pacific Islander. 
(E) Other non-White race. 
(F) Hispanic. 
(G) Latino. 
(H) Linguistically isolated. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a consortium of— 
(A) 1 local educational agency; and 
(B) 1 or more— 
(i) schools; 
(ii) nonprofit organizations; 
(iii) for-profit organizations; or 
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(iv) community partners that have the 
knowledge and capacity to partner and as-
sist with energy improvements. 
(3) ENERGY
IMPROVEMENT.—The term ‘‘en-
ergy improvement’’ means— 
(A) any improvement, repair, or renovation 
to a school that results in a direct reduction in 
school energy costs, including improvements to 
the envelope, air conditioning system, ventila-
tion system, heating system, domestic hot water 
heating system, compressed air system, dis-
tribution system, lighting system, power system, 
and controls of a building; 
(B) any improvement, repair, or renovation 
to, or installation in, a school that leads to an 
improvement in teacher and student health, in-
cluding indoor air quality, daylighting, ventila-
tion, electrical lighting, windows, roofing (in-
cluding green roofs), outdoor gardens, and 
acoustics; 
(C) any improvement, repair, or renovation 
to a school involving the installation of renew-
able energy technologies (such as wind power, 
photovoltaics, solar thermal systems, geo-
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thermal energy, hydrogen-fueled systems, and 
hydropower); and 
(D) the installation of zero-emissions vehi-
cle infrastructure on school grounds for— 
(i) exclusive use of school buses, 
school fleets, staff, faculty, or students; or 
(ii) the general public. 
(4) ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
COMMUNITY.— 
The term ‘‘environmental justice community’’ means 
any population of color, community of color, indige-
nous community, or low-income community that ex-
periences a disproportionate burden of adverse 
human health or environmental effects, including 
with respect to such effects that are the result of 
pollution or other environmental hazards. 
(5) HIGH
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘high school’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(6) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(7) PARTNERING LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGEN-
CY.—The term ‘‘partnering local educational agen-
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cy’’, with respect to an eligible entity, means the 
local educational agency participating in the consor-
tium of the eligible entity. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(9) ZERO-EMISSIONS
VEHICLE
INFRASTRUC-
TURE.—The term ‘‘zero-emissions vehicle infrastruc-
ture’’ 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 mode or condition. 
(b) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall award competitive 
grants to eligible entities to make energy improvements 
in accordance with this section. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity desiring a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
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(2) CONTENTS.—The application submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) A needs assessment of the current con-
dition of the school and school facilities that 
will receive the energy improvements. 
(B) A draft work plan of the intended 
achievements of the eligible entity at the school. 
(C) A description of the energy improve-
ments that the eligible entity will carry out at 
the school. 
(D) A description of the capacity of the eli-
gible entity to provide services and comprehen-
sive support to make the energy improvements 
referred to in subparagraph (C). 
(E) An assessment of the expected needs 
of the eligible entity for operation and mainte-
nance training funds, and a plan for use of 
those funds, if applicable. 
(F) An assessment of the expected energy 
efficiency and safety benefits of the energy im-
provements. 
(G) A cost estimate of the proposed energy 
improvements. 
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(H) An identification of other resources 
that are available to carry out the activities for 
which grant funds are requested under this sec-
tion, including the availability of utility pro-
grams and public benefit funds. 
(d) PRIORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In awarding grants under 
this section, the Secretary shall give priority to an 
eligible entity that— 
(A) serves students the majority of whom 
are located in— 
(i) an environmental justice commu-
nity; or 
(ii) a community that is affected by a 
natural or man-made disaster; 
(B) has renovation, repair, and improve-
ment funding needs; and 
(C)(i) as determined by the Secretary, 
serves a high percentage of students, including 
students in a high school in accordance with 
paragraph (2), who are eligible for a free or re-
duced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
seq.); or 
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(ii) the partnering local educational agency 
of which is designated with a school district lo-
cale code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the 
National Center for Education Statistics in con-
sultation with the Bureau of the Census. 
(2) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.—In the case of 
students in a high school, the percentage of students 
eligible for a free or reduced price lunch described 
in paragraph (1)(C)(i) shall be calculated using data 
from the schools that feed into the high school. 
(e) COMPETITIVE CRITERIA.—The competitive cri-
teria used by the Secretary to award grants under this 
section shall include the following: 
(1) The extent of the disparity between the fis-
cal capacity of the eligible entity to carry out energy 
improvements at school facilities and the needs of 
the partnering local educational agency for those en-
ergy improvements, including consideration of— 
(A) the current and historic ability of the 
partnering local educational agency to raise 
funds for construction, renovation, moderniza-
tion, and major repair projects for schools; 
(B) the ability of the partnering local edu-
cational agency to issue bonds or receive other 
funds to support the current infrastructure 
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needs of the partnering local educational agency 
for schools; and 
(C) the bond rating of the partnering local 
educational agency. 
(2) The likelihood that the partnering local edu-
cational agency or eligible entity will maintain, in 
good condition, any school and school facility that is 
the subject of improvements. 
(3) The potential energy efficiency, greenhouse 
gas reduction, resilience, and safety benefits from 
the proposed energy improvements. 
(f) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in this 
subsection, an eligible entity receiving a grant under 
this section shall use the grant amounts only to 
make the energy improvements described in the ap-
plication submitted by the eligible entity under sub-
section (c). 
(2) ADDITIONAL FUNDS.—An eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant under this section may combine the 
grant with additional funds, including other Federal 
funds, State or local funds, and private funds (in-
cluding any private funds provided in an energy sav-
ing performance contract), provided that the eligible 
entity meets any requirements the Secretary may es-
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tablish relating to tracking and reporting use of 
grant funds separately from such additional funds. 
(3) OPERATION
AND
MAINTENANCE
TRAIN-
ING.—An eligible entity receiving a grant under this 
section may use not more than 5 percent of the 
grant amounts for operation and maintenance train-
ing for energy efficiency and renewable energy im-
provements, such as maintenance staff and teacher 
training, education, and preventative maintenance 
training. 
(4) THIRD-PARTY
INVESTIGATION
AND
ANAL-
YSIS.—An eligible entity receiving a grant under this 
section may use a portion of the grant amounts for 
a third-party investigation and analysis of the en-
ergy improvements carried out by the eligible entity, 
such as energy audits and existing building commis-
sioning. 
(5) CONTINUING EDUCATION.—An eligible enti-
ty 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) COMPETITION IN CONTRACTING.—If an eligible 
entity receiving a grant under this section uses grant 
funds to carry out repair or renovation through a contract, 
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