Students from Los Alamos High School EcoClub and Chamisa Elementary School’s Global Warming Express present to Los Alamos Public Schools Board on Electrification. Courtesy EcoClub
LAHS EcoClub presenters on Electrification to the LAPS Board are Charlotte Butcher, Arianne Terrones, and Samuel Carmer. Photo Courtesy EcoClub
LAHS EcoClub presenters on Electrification to the LAPS Board are Charlotte Butcher, Arianne Terrones, and Samuel Carmer. Photo Courtesy EcoClub
The Great School Electrification Challenge
LAHS EcoClub is joined with Citizens’ Climate Lobby Youth in the Great School Electrification Challenge. We are among the first set of 15 other school districts in the United States who
are currently pledging to “electrify everything” in their districts, (CCL).
The members participating in the challenge receive:
● Training
● Tips and pointers
● Contest on the most points (actions completed) with prizes
● Templates and resolution workshops
● Connections with the other teams
Why? -Health Risk
● CDC reports that diesel emissions contain many toxic chemicals including nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide which lead to long term health effects, and could be fatal at certain levels of intake.
● Diesel exhaust levels inside a school bus are 4 times higher than inside a passenger car.
● Children who regularly ride the bus spend at least 120 hours a year on the bus.
● Children riding the bus are exposed to toxic chemicals that have been recognized as being responsible for 125,000 cancers nationwide, (NRDC).
● Propane and natural gas can be released into the building causing respiratory problems
● Diesel complaints have been made at LAHS by students.
Why? -Current Systems/Risks
● Many of our school buildings use outdated heating systems which rely on propane or burning fossil fuels.
● Unreliable, inefficient, and do not deliver adequate amounts of heat to the building
● Fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, petroleum) are burned for electricity which release greenhouse gases, trapping heat in the atmosphere.
● Greenhouse gas emissions lead to changing environments, natural disasters, and extreme seasons.
● Electrification provides immediate impact to our carbon footprint and reduces air pollution in our community.
Why?- Economic Impact
● According to the U.S. Department of Energy, switching to renewable energy can save schools up to 20% of their energy costs annually. (US ENERGY SOLUTIONS)
● Once installed, systems using alternative energy sources require less money to maintain. No need to continually purchase gas and fossil fuels.
Available Grants
● Clean School bus Rebate Program
● Renew America’s Schools Grant Round 2
● Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change
● Youth Ambition Accelerator Grant
Main Points of Action
● Sign up for a renewable electricity plan with a renewable energy provider,
● Create a renewable electricity plan,
● Move towards renewable sources of energy that fit the best purpose of intended buildings and/or parking structures.
● Electrify transportation to, and from, schools in the School District.
● Electrify appliances and landscape maintenance
Resolution Support
● Sen. Leo Jaramillo has pledged one electric school bus for Los Alamos Public School as well as a grant writer for LAHS EcoClub if the resolution is passed.
● In a survey given to students and community members, 91.4% have stated that they support
electrification. Many extra comments and ideas were shown in the space provided in the survey.
● Climate Citizens Lobby, PEEC, Sierra Club, and League of Women Voters all support our proposal. equipment, including, but not limited to, space and water heaters, cooking equipment, leaf blowers, and trimmers used by schools in the School District.
● Continue communication with LAHS EcoClub.
Resolution #1.0
COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ELECTRIFICATION
Editor’s note: To see links to document, go to School Board Packet at laschools.net
WHEREAS, The global temperature has been increasing over the last few decades, resulting in
drier desert conditions. Our community has experienced an increased frequency of forest
fires. In 2022, the Cerro Pelado’s forest fire disrupted the school schedule and upended the
learning environment for over a month. Many families had to evacuate town. Los Alamos
Public Schools closed for a week, limiting students’ learning.
WHEREAS, in the United States, public schools are one of the largest public sector consumers of
energy, using the equivalent of 18 coal-fired power plants or 15 million cars each year (K-12
Climate Action).
WHEREAS, transportation and buildings are among the top sources of greenhouse gas
emissions in Los Alamos County (LANL not included). In LA County, 53% of the emissions were
from building energy and 39% of emissions were from transportation, according to the recent
study conducted by the LA Environmental Sustainability Board. Energy for buildings was
responsible for 72,634 MTCO2e (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent). In 2022,
community wide emissions were responsible for 135,976 MTCO2e (LARES).
WHEREAS, the use of renewable electricity reduces greenhouse gas emissions relative to the
use of fossil fuels. 99% of the people in the world breathe in polluted air due to carbon
emissions (United Nations), and using renewable energy can reduce the electricity sector’s
emissions by 81% (Union of Concerned Scientists).
WHEREAS, Diesel engine exhaust has been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the IARC
based on studies which showed the positive association between exposure and cancer rates
(IARC). Multiple constituent chemicals in diesel exhaust are known human toxins and
endocrine disruptors. Under the Clean Air Act, diesel exhaust contains carbon particulates and
40 other chemicals which are classified as “hazardous air pollutants” (EPA). Air pollution has
been associated with neurotoxicity and has adverse effects on the development of the central
nervous system and leads to behavioral deficits in children. (NIH, JOV)
WHEREAS, Fine particulate matter found in diesel exhaust is associated with exacerbated
asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia symptoms as well as decreased lung function, retarded
lung development, and increased mortality rates for people with cardiopulmonary diseases.
Because children’s respiratory systems are still developing and they have faster breathing rates,
they are more susceptible to air pollution than healthy adults. Children are also especially
susceptible to respiratory issues caused by fine particulate matter due to the children’s narrower airways. (EHHI)
WHEREAS, there are numerous grant programs in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, and other Federal legislation, as well as programs by the State of New Mexico and Los Alamos County to support the purchase of EV buses and electrification of buildings; the EPA’s Clean Bus Rebate Program has $500 million in grant money.
WHEREAS, The Los Alamos Public School District has already taken actions to mitigate the threat of climate change. We currently have six hybrid model facility vehicles in use. The plans for construction of Pinon Elementary School and Chamisa Elementary School use roofs constructed to support solar panels. The construction also examines the possibility of utilizing heat pumps in the HVAC systems of those schools. Multiple elementary schools in our district have already implemented strict recycling policies and reusable lunch trays. The present resolution will build on the actions our school district already has in place.
WHEREAS, electric vehicles, appliances, and battery-powered or plug-in landscaping equipment
are financial investments that will save the district money. They have an initial upfront cost but can be operated and maintained at a lower cost than their gas-powered counterparts, benefitting the district’s budget. A Los Alamos company, Tibbar Plasma Technologies, uses an all-electric system including 2 10kWe Solar Panels ($28,500), three heat pumps ($32,000), and a solar inverter/charger. The organization purchased the equipment upfront and has been saving money with the absence of monthly fuel and electricity costs. Due to the large size of Los Alamos Public School buildings compared to Tibbar’s building, our savings on electricity and fuel would be increased proportionally. In addition, as Los Alamos County switches to renewable energy sources, electrically powered buses, appliances, and equipment will have a reduced carbon footprint.
WHEREAS, using electric vehicles, appliances, and battery-powered or plug-in landscape
equipment leads to better air quality and respiratory health outcomes than fossil-fuel-powered
equivalents. While more than 24 million children ride the school bus daily, diesel school buses area significant concern for students’ health. With over 6.3 million American school children being affected by asthma, diesel school buses can significantly worsen asthmatic symptoms (EPA). Exposure to diesel exhaust poses a significant risk for lung cancer to all students under federal law (NRDC). Diesel engines in school buses contain 40 hazardous air pollutants considered dangerous for children under the Clean Air Act (EHHI). Electric buses, vehicles, appliances, and landscape maintenance equipment, including, but not limited to, space and water heaters, cooking equipment, leaf blowers, and trimmers used by schools in the School District, and (6) Continue communication with LAHS EcoClub.
(1)
● Conduct a district-wide energy audit and greenhouse gas emissions audit to identify the areas in which it may improve its energy-efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint.
● Commit to analyzing the emissions and energy usage of Los Alamos Public School District and reporting reduction methods to the Los Alamos School Board. The position’s role also includes taking further legislative action to achieve analysis and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in our district.
(2)
● Create a Building Electrification Readiness Plan that addresses all aspects of preparation necessary to replace fossil-fuel powered appliances used by schools in the School District (“Gas Appliances”) with all-electric appliances (“Electric Appliances”), including electrical service and panel capacity, wiring and duct requirements, prospective equipment locations, and structural requirements such as footings.
● Identify Federal, State of New Mexico, County of Los Alamos and other grant, subsidy, rebate, and similar programs that provide financial support for the electrification of transportation and buildings in the School District (“Grants”).
(3)
● Commit that solar panels will be installed and phased into the district’s energy supply starting in 2025 and all LAPS schools have a minimum of 3 solar panels installed by 2045.
(4)
● Apply for Grants to replace fossil-fuel powered school buses and other fossil-fuel powered vehicles owned or leased by the School District (“Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles” or “ICE Vehicles”) with electric school buses and electric vehicles, respectively (“Electric Vehicles”).
● Commit to working in cooperation with Los Alamos County to install charging infrastructure or electric buses/campus vehicles AND purchasing two EV school buses by 2026.
● 2 Electric school buses will be purchased by 2026.
● All campus vehicles will be electric by 2035.
● Commit that forthcoming purchases of school buses and campus vehicles by the School District will be electric.
● In the case of any ICE Vehicles that are not replaced with funds received from Grants, the School District hereby commits to replacing such ICE Vehicles with Electric Vehicles at the time of replacement.
(5)
● Commit that in any new construction or major remodel of a building in the School District, only electric appliances will be installed. Replacement of fossil-fuel powered water heaters and furnaces with electric heat-pump water heaters and furnaces, and replacing natural-gas or propane-gas cooking equipment with all-electric equipment, including induction stoves and cooktops
● Commit that any new purchases of appliances used by the School District will be Electric Appliances.
● Apply for Grants to replace Gas Appliances with Electric Appliances, including the replacement of fossil-fuel powered water heaters and furnaces with electric heat-pump water heaters and furnaces, and replacing natural-gas or propane-gas cooking equipment with all-electric equipment, including induction stoves and cooktops.
● In the case of any Gas Appliances that are not replaced with funds received from Grants, the School District hereby commits to replacing such Gas Appliances with Electric Appliances at the time of burn-out or replacement.
● Commit to replace all incandescent, fluorescent, and halogen light bulbs with LED bulbs.
● Commit that any fossil-fuel powered generator used by the School District will be replaced no later than 2027 with a battery-powered alternative for backup power.
● Replace any gas powered landscape maintenance equipment, including leaf blowers and string
trimmers, with battery-powered or plug-in electric alternatives by 2027.
(6)
● Commit to having two annual student consultants from LAHS Eco Club plus one club sponsor
throughout the duration of the electrification process.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LOS ALAMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS commit to the use of renewable energy and the electrification of current and future appliances and vehicles as stated in the resolution.
The foregoing resolution is hereby approved and adopted by the Board of Education of the
Los Alamos Public School District at its regular public meeting on this Tuesday, February 13, 2024.