Bill may help schools go green (IL)

[jpak]

http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2007/01/28/news/local/363235367894278.txt

Going green could get a little more affordable for Illinois schools if state Rep. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling, gets his way.

The former school administrator turned state representative is pushing for legislation that will help public schools pay for alternative energy improvements to school buildings.

The bill would require the Illinois State Board of Education to establish and operate a renewable energy grant program to assist school districts in the installation, acquisition, construction and improvement of renewable energy sources in schools.

Improvements would include constructing wind turbines to generate electricity, such as the one at Bureau Valley High School in Manlius. It would also cover the installation of solar panels, such as the ones operating at Reagan Middle School in Dixon, or switching to geothermal heating which captures the thermal energy of the earth to heat buildings.

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[soswolf]

1. Good!

It would also be educational for the students to see changes of that nature being made.