House Passes Bipartisan Bill Establishing Grant Program To Support Solar Energy Facilities At Schools

On June 29, the House passed the bipartisan House Bill 1032 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) establishing a grant program to support solar energy facilities at schools by a vote of 134 to 69.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

“I’m excited that Solar is passing through the House. This legislation is truly blue-green, bringing new jobs to our Commonwealth while protecting and preserving our environment,” said Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, prime sponsor of the. 

"Solar leverages state and federal dollars to support the creation of solar arrays at public schools across the Commonwealth. It will save school districts and taxpayers money, create new learning opportunities and invest in statewide clean energy,” she added.

“The PA Building & Construction Trades Council is excited to see H.B. 1032 progress through the House,” said Mike Ford, secretary-treasurer of the council. “Our members create and maintain the infrastructure in the commercial and industrial industries across our commonwealth, and solar provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen our schools’ infrastructure."

“Pennsylvania has the opportunity to defend children’s health through the proposed bill, House Bill 1032, the Solar for Schools grant program,” said Carolyn Hickman of the Evangelical Environmental Network. “As pro-life evangelicals, defending children’s health is not just an ethical calling, but a biblical one. ‘Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy.’”

Click Here for a House summary of the bill.

(Photo: Steelton-Highspire School District solar energy facility in Dauphin County.)

NewsClips This Week:

-- PA Capital-Star: Solar Energy Grant Program For PA School Districts Gets Bipartisan Support In PA House

-- Capital & Main-Audrey Carleton: PA Could Be A Model For Solar-Powered Schools - If It Can Get Past Political Divisions 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Solar Energy A Budget Solution For PA Schools - By Micki Dutrow, Retired Superintendent Of West Branch Area School District, Clearfield County

-- Pittsburgh-based PPG Signs Solar Energy Agreement For Texas Paint Plants, Stores To Reduce Carbon Emissions 

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Who Is Blocking Climate, Oil & Gas Bills In Pennsylvania? 

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Power Plants, Now The Top Source Of Electricity In U.S., Are To Blame For One Of The Grid’s Biggest Vulnerabilities When Weather Gets Rough

-- The Guardian: Solar Helps Texas Carry Energy Load As Heatwave Puts Power Grid To Test; Atypically Large Number Of Coal, Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants Have Failed Amid Temperature Spikes

-- Utility Dive: Texas Electric Grid Has Remained Stable Despite 9.6 GW Of Coal, Natural Gas Power Plants Being Offline; Renewables Logged New Records In Generation

-- Reuters: Jobs In US Energy Grew 3.8% In 2022, Led By Work In Clean Energy

Related Articles This Week:

-- House Passes Bipartisan Bill Establishing Grant Program To Support Solar Energy Facilities At Schools  [PaEN]

-- WeConservePA Webinar: Pennsylvania's Solar Future - Utility Scale Facilities, Oct. 25  [PaEN] 

-- EPA Seeking Applications For $7 Billion In Funding To Bring Residential Solar Energy To Low-Income, Disadvantaged Communities, Deadline Sept. 26 

-- DEP Notice Of July 6 Meeting Of PA Energy Development Authority.

-- Pennsylvania Groups Call For Transparency With State Plans For Carbon Capture, Storage  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 1, 2023]  PA Environment Digest