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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Ann
Collis |
State Rep. Daylin Leach |
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House passes Leach bill that would put more green in schools, taxpayer pockets
HARRISBURG, June 27 – Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, that would give school districts incentives to construct cleaner and more efficient schools was passed by the House of Representatives today.
Leach’s legislation (H.B. 894) would allow environmentally friendly school buildings to forgo cost restrictions during construction. Devised by the United States Green Buildings Council, the green building standards are known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.
A current Pennsylvania law, Act 34, also known as the “Taj Mahal Act,” requires local school boards to receive voter approval before building excessively expensive schools. Act 34 only applies when a school district attempts to receive partial reimbursement from the state for construction costs. A referendum is triggered if a school district spends more than allowed under a formula which takes into consideration the number of students and the proposed size of the school.
Leach explained that because referendums on education spending are expensive and time-consuming, they never actually happen and the formula effectively caps school spending.
“The original point was to prevent school districts from building huge structures,” Leach said. “However, it also prevents constructing environmentally friendly schools. Schools built according to LEED standards are much more energy-efficient, they reduce pollution and are significantly cheaper to operate in the long run.”
The up-front cost of LEED construction has been deterring school districts from implementing the standards -- even though the savings realized over the 30-40 year lifespan of a school are many times the initial additional cost, Leach said.
“The initial cost will often bring the school construction over Act 34 limits, and result in school boards just building non-LEED compliant schools to avoid the referendum. This is bad for the environment and this is bad for the very taxpayers Act 34 was passed to protect.”
The bill is now cleared for final passage in the House and then heads to the Senate for consideration.
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