The following was released by the office of Governor Ned Lamont.
Grants Are the First Round of the Lamont Administration’s Newly Established HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration is awarding $56 million in grants for public schools throughout Connecticut to make upgrades to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
The grants are being awarded through the HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools, a newly established state program that is administered by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services. It was created as part of the budget adjustment bill that Governor Lamont signed into law in 2022 (Public Act 22-118). The program has been allocated $150 million through two revenue streams, including $75 million from state bond funding and $75 million from the state’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
These $56 million in grants represent the first round of funding released through this program. This initial round opened on September 14, 2022, and school districts seeking grants were required to submit applications to the state by December 1, 2022. Municipalities are required to provide matching grants to fund the project costs. Examples of eligible projects include:
- Replacing, upgrading, or repairing boilers and other heating and ventilation components;
- Replacing controls and technology systems related to HVAC operations;
- Installing or upgrading air conditioning or ventilation systems; and
- Other similar work approved by the commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services.
Although this is a newly established program, public school districts throughout Connecticut have already received more than $165 million to support HVAC upgrades since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. That money was released by the Lamont administration using funds the state received from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which was approved by Congress in response to the pandemic. Recognizing that there continues to be a need for more schools to make HVAC upgrades, Governor Lamont and the General Assembly established this program last year to ensure that a dedicated source of funding remains available for this purpose.
Governor Lamont said, “One thing the COVID-19 pandemic exposed is that many school buildings, particularly those that are of a certain age, are in serious need of air quality improvements. Modernized ventilation systems provide an important public health function that filtrate the air and reduce airborne contaminants, including particles containing viruses. Most importantly, these air filtration systems will help ensure that our students can continue receiving their education in-person, in the classroom, where they learn best. When the pandemic began, we dedicated more than $165 million in our federal relief funding to make air filtration upgrades in schools. Now, with this new state program, we have a dedicated source of funding to continue these upgrades and partner with schools on these much-needed infrastructure improvements.”
Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman said, “The Department of Administrative Services team is proud to award the first round of grants for this critical program to improve indoor air quality in schools and support Connecticut’s students, staff, and families. The HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants program is a testament to the collaboration between our legislative partners, agency colleagues, union and municipal leadership, and other advocates ensuring our schools are equipped with modernized ventilation systems to promote healthy air quality.”
State Department of Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker said, “One of our top priorities is ensuring that our students and educators have access to safe and healthy learning and teaching environments. I commend Governor Lamont for recognizing the importance of this issue and making investments to improve indoor air quality in schools. Healthy schools provide students and educators with classroom settings that are conducive to teaching and learning, ensuring better academic outcomes for our students.”
Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said, “While we are in a far better place than we were three years ago in terms of COVID-19, good ventilation in our schools is always a critical component to healthy school environments, which both improves learning and reduces the impact of viral respiratory diseases on our students, faculty, and staff. The Department of Public Health congratulates all the award recipients and commends them for their commitment to these important public health strategies.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “Connecticut children deserve to breathe clean air. This funding will help Connecticut schools upgrade their outdated HVAC systems to create safer, more energy efficient environments for kids to learn and thrive – good for education, good for the environment. I’m proud to see this first round of funding take shape and look forward to continued investments to support infrastructure upgrades in our schools.”
Senator Chris Murphy said, “The health and safety of our students should be top priority, and making sure that every school has an up-to-date HVAC system will improve air quality in the classroom. It’s great to see the American Rescue Plan continue to pay dividends for our kids.”
U.S. Representative John B. Larson (CT-01) said, “All of our children deserve clean air to breathe. I voted for the American Rescue Plan to ensure our community has the resources to thrive and get students back in their seats, and this is one way students will be able to go to school and receive the education they deserve. I commend Governor Lamont for taking this federal funding and putting it to good use for Connecticut’s students.”
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) said, “The American Rescue Plan funding is a win for our ongoing efforts to improve indoor air quality for our schools and students here in Connecticut. I am so proud that our joint efforts allowed to make this day possible — and celebrate the HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools. Updated ventilation systems are needed all throughout the state – and we owe it to our school teachers, administrators, parents, and students to ensure we are doing all we can to eliminate airborne contaminates and unfiltered air.”
U.S. Representative Jim Himes (CT-04) said, “Providing public schools with the funding they need to upgrade their HVAC systems is not only necessary to protect our children’s health and development, it is also a smart financial investment that increases energy efficiency and lowers costs.”
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