Energy grants will light Cascade, Central

Cascade High School will receive an $86,900 grant and Central High School an $83,625 grant from the Energy Efficient Schools Council Fund, announced State Rep. Les Winningham (D-Huntsville), who chairs the council.

The $170,525 received by the two Bedford County schools is part of $1,376,625 awarded statewide. The money came from a one-time allocation of state lottery reserves. The grants provide incentives for energy efficient upgrades in K-12 schools in Tennessee. The Energy Efficient Schools Council Fund has allocated grant and loan funds to all 136 K-12 school districts in Tennessee.

Bedford County School Superintendent Ed Gray said the money will be used for new lighting ballasts which would provide more energy-efficient lighting for the schools. He said that while the local system was hoping for more, he was delighted at the allocations received for Cascade and Central.

"That's the culmination of two years' work to get that in," said Gray.

State Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville praised the program.

"Besides giving LEAs the opportunity to improve building infrastructures and make buildings more energy efficient, these lighting projects will also improve the learning environment for students," said Tracy in a news release.

Gray praised Denny Hastings, a member of the Energy Efficient Schools Council, and Tracy for their work on the issue.

"The EESI Council and the Technical Advisory Committee are to be commended for establishing this program", said Winningham in a news release.

Although the Council has now approved incentive grants for lighting, HVAC, kitchen equipment, motors, and drives, the first five incentive grants awarded were all for energy efficient lighting upgrades. The applications for the incentive grants and loans are linked from the Department of Education web site, tn.gov/education/EES_init.shtml.

"As school districts across the state struggle with budget needs, this program creates a new way to meet priorities by recycling energy waste and utilizing it for savings for our students," said State Sen. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), sponsor of the initiative. "I am very pleased this program is in place and am looking forward to seeing the savings that will be realized by the schools for use on educational needs."