,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #fid ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #aj1 #bjba,ms4 ,cortez ,masto 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,collins1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 and ,ms4 ,stabenow7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,energy to provide grants for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy improvements at public school facilities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,renew ,america's ,schools ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,grants for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy improvements at public school facilities 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means a consortium of-- 7,a7 #a local educational agency2 and 7,b7 #a or more-- 7i7 schools2 7ii7 nonprofit organizations2 7iii7 for-profit organizations2 or 7iv7 community partners that have the knowledge and capacity to partner and assist with energy improvements4 7#b7 ,energy improvement ,the term energy improvement means-- 7,a7 any improvement1 repair1 or renovation to a school that results in a direct reduction in school energy costs1 including improvements to the envelope1 air conditioning system1 ventilation system1 heating system1 domestic hot water heating system1 compressed air system1 distribution system1 lighting system1 power system1 and controls of a building2 7,b7 any improvement1 repair1 or renovation to1 or installation in1 a school that leads to an improvement in teacher and student health1 including indoor air quality1 daylighting1 ventilation1 electrical lighting1 windows1 roofing 7including green roofs71 outdoor gardens1 and acoustics2 7,c7 any improvement1 repair1 or renovation to a school involving the installation of renewable energy technologies 7such as wind power1 photovoltaics1 solar thermal systems1 geothermal energy1 hydrogen-fueled systems1 biomass-based systems1 biofuels1 anaerobic digesters1 and hydropower72 7,d7 the installation of zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure on school grounds for-- 7i7 exclusive use of school buses1 school fleets1 or students2 or 7ii7 the general public2 and 7,e7 the purchase or lease of zero-emissions vehicles to be used by a school1 including school buses1 fleet vehicles1 and other operational vehicles4 7#c7 ,high school ,the term high school has the meaning given the term in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#d7 ,local educational agency ,the term local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#e7 ,partnering local educational agency ,the term partnering local educational agency1 with respect to an eligible entity1 means the local educational agency participating in the consortium of the eligible entity4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,energy4 7#g7 ,zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure ,the term zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure means infrastructure used to charge or fuel-- 7,a7 a zero-emission vehicle 7as defined in section #hh4ajb-id of title #dj1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or successor regulation772 or 7,b7 a vehicle that produces zero exhaust emissions of any criteria pollutant 7or precursor pollutant7 or greenhouse gas under any possible operational mode or condition4 7b7 ,grants ,the ,secretary shall award competitive grants to eligible entities to make energy improvements in accordance with this section4 7c7 ,applications 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,contents ,the application submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include each of the following3 7,a7 ,a needs assessment of the current condition of the school and school facilities that will receive the energy improvements4 7,b7 ,a draft work plan of the intended achievements of the eligible entity at the school4 7,c7 ,a description of the energy improvements that the eligible entity will carry out at the school4 7,d7 ,a description of the capacity of the eligible entity to provide services and comprehensive support to make the energy improvements referred to in subparagraph 7,c74 7,e7 ,an assessment of the expected needs of the eligible entity for operation and maintenance training funds1 and a plan for use of those funds1 if applicable4 7,f7 ,an assessment of the expected energy efficiency and safety benefits of the energy improvements4 7,g7 ,a cost estimate of the proposed energy improvements4 7,h7 ,an identification of other resources that are available to carry out the activities for which grant funds are requested under this section1 including the availability of utility programs and public benefit funds4 7d7 ,priority 7#a7 ,in general ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity-- 7,a7 that has renovation1 repair1 and improvement funding needs2 and 7,b7 7i7 that1 as determined by the ,secretary1 serves a high percentage of students1 including students in a high school in accordance with paragraph 7#b71 who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agea et seq472 or 7ii7 the partnering local educational agency of which is designated with a school district locale code of #da1 #db1 or #dc1 as determined by the ,national ,center for ,education ,statistics in consultation with the ,bureau of the ,census4 7#b7 ,high school students ,in the case of students in a high school1 the percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced price lunch described in paragraph 7#a77;,b77i7 shall be calculated using data from the schools that feed into the high school4 7e7 ,competitive criteria ,the competitive criteria used by the ,secretary to award grants under this section shall include the following3 7#a7 ,the extent of the disparity between the fiscal capacity of the eligible entity to carry out energy improvements at school facilities and the needs of the partnering local educational agency for those energy improvements1 including consideration of-- 7,a7 the current and historic ability of the partnering local educational agency to raise funds for construction1 renovation1 modernization1 and major repair projects for schools2 7,b7 the ability of the partnering local educational agency to issue bonds or receive other funds to support the current infrastructure needs of the partnering local educational agency for schools2 and 7,c7 the bond rating of the partnering local educational agency4 7#b7 ,the likelihood that the partnering local educational agency or eligible entity will maintain1 in good condition1 any school and school facility that is the subject of improvements4 7#c7 ,the potential energy efficiency and safety benefits from the proposed energy improvements4 7f7 ,use of grant amounts 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in this subsection1 an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant amounts only to make the energy improvements described in the application submitted by the eligible entity under subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,operation and maintenance training ,an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section may use not more than #e percent of the grant amounts for operation and maintenance training for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements1 such as maintenance staff and teacher training1 education1 and preventative maintenance training4 7#c7 ,third-party investigation and analysis ,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 energy improvements carried out by the eligible entity1 such as energy audits and existing building commissioning4 7#d7 ,continuing education ,an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section may use not more than #c percent of the grant amounts to develop a continuing education curriculum relating to energy improvements4 7g7 ,competition in contracting ,if an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section uses grant funds to carry out repair or renovation through a contract1 the eligible entity shall be required to ensure that the contract process-- 7#a7 through full and open competition1 ensures the maximum practicable number of qualified bidders1 including small1 minority1 and women-owned businesses2 and 7#b7 gives priority to businesses located in1 or resources common to1 the ,state or geographical area in which the repair or renovation under the contract will be carried out4 7h7 ,best practices ,the ,secretary shall develop and publish guidelines and best practices for activities carried out under this section4 7i7 ,report by eligible entity ,an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the ,secretary1 at such time as the ,secretary may require1 a report describing-- 7#a7 the use of the grant funds for energy improvements2 7#b7 the estimated cost savings realized by those energy improvements2 7#c7 the results of any third-party investigation and analysis conducted relating to those energy improvements2 7#d7 the use of any utility programs and public benefit funds2 and 7#e7 the use of performance tracking for energy improvements1 such as the ,energy ,star program established under section #cbd;,a or the ,united ,states ,green ,building ,council ,leadership in ,energy and ,environmental ,design 7,,leed7 green building rating system for existing buildings4 7j7 ,wage rate requirements 7#a7 ,davis-,bacon ,any laborer or mechanic employed by any contractor or subcontractor in the performance of work on any energy improvements funded by a grant under this section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor under subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ca of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly referred to as the ,davis-,bacon ,act74 7#b7 ,authority ,with respect to the labor standards specified in paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of ,labor shall have the authority and functions set forth in ,reorganization ,plan ,numbered #ad of #aiej 7#fd ,stat4 #abfg2 #e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 and section #cade of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7k7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ajj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbe4