Harder Pushes for Federal Funds to Help Schools Buy HVAC Systems, Supporting Student Learning During Poor Air Conditions and Heat Waves

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Josh Harder sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging the Department to immediately begin using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to upgrade Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems in schools across the country, including the Central Valley. Rep. Harder and his brother both experienced childhood asthma growing up in the Central Valley. He is increasingly worried about the Valley’s worsening air quality due to wildfires and pollutants and its impact on young people.

Earlier this year, San Joaquin County received an ‘F’ grade in the American Lung Association’s 2022 State of the Air report. The report gave the County an ‘F’ for Ozone, an ‘F’ for particle pollution in a 24-hour period, and a failing grade for particle pollution annually. The report also indicated that 13,971 kids in San Joaquin County are at risk of developing asthma. Studies show that students at school districts prone to poor air face more health and educational challenges, including lower test scores, higher rates of absenteeism, and increased suspensions. Long term, this can mean a loss of nearly two billion dollars in discounted future earnings.

“Poor air quality in the Valley is an emergency and our kids are on the front lines,” said Rep. Harder. “Our polluted air isn’t just making our kids less healthy; it’s making it harder for them to stay focused and to learn. That’s why today I wrote to Secretary Granholm urging her to put our kids first and get money out the door to upgrade the HVAC systems in schools across the Central Valley. Our kids deserve clean air at school and it’s on us to make it happen. It’s as simple as that.”

Read the letter below and online here.

Dear Secretary Granholm,

I write today to urge the Department of Energy (DOE) to immediately begin dispersing grants to help our schools get the updated air-conditioning systems they need, especially in light of heat waves that are disrupting our classrooms.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created the Energy Improvements at Public School Facilities competitive grant program in November 2021, authorizing 500 million dollars to help schools make much-needed upgrades to their infrastructure, including Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Approximately 53 percent of American public school districts need to update or replace multiple building systems, including their HVAC systems.^[1]

Replacing HVAC systems is one of the most expensive investments a school can make, with schools being forced to spend anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of dollars to do so,^[2] diverting money from much-needed investments in curricula, teachers, and students. As California schools continue to face record-breaking heat waves as high as 115 degrees,^[3] this is a question of life and death. Schools have canceled classes due to inhospitable temperatures and failing HVAC systems.^[4] This means Valley students are missing out on vital learning opportunities. Students prone to poor air quality face more health and educational issues, including lower test scores and shorter life spans.^[5]

I request the DOE immediately begin awarding the Energy Improvements at Public School Facilities grants, helping our schools to continue educating students in the midst of rising temperatures and historic heat waves.

Thank you for your attention to this timely matter.

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