Subject:
Urge your lawmakers to pass the Students for Solar Act and expand clean energy in schools
Message:
Dear Legislator:
As a constituent who cares about our students, our schools and our environment, I urge you to pass the Students for Solar Act, S.1986 (Harckham)/A.6318 (Griffin), to extend the allowable cost recovery period for school energy performance contracts from 18 to 25 years.
Under current state law, school districts that enter energy performance contracts — agreements that allow districts to implement energy-saving measures and recover costs through resulting savings — are limited to an 18-year cost recovery period. This restriction effectively blocks most solar, wind and geothermal projects, which typically require 20 to 25 years to become cost-effective. The result: districts that want to go green are being stopped.
Schools are major energy consumers and anchors of their communities. They have a unique opportunity to model sustainability and climate leadership. But the 18-year cap forces districts to pass on projects that would generate long-term savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, revitalize aging infrastructure and provide real-world STEM learning opportunities for students. This is especially harmful for low-income districts, where longer payback periods are often the only way to make clean energy projects financially viable.
Extending the allowable cost recovery period to 25 years would align state law with current federal standards and unlock the potential for schools across New York to invest in clean, efficient energy infrastructure. This is a commonsense fix with lasting benefits for students, taxpayers and the environment.
I respectfully ask that you bring up this issue with your conference and advocate for the passage of the Students for Solar Act this legislative session.
Sincerely,
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