Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has proposed a $2 billion "Green New Deal" that would overhaul the city's aging and outdated public school facilities.
Wu is seeking an initial investment of $605 million investment as spelled out in a four-year capital plan now before the City Council, reports Boston.com
“I would like us to have fully re-done every school building in Boston in the next decade,” Wu said.
The plan includes new construction or major renovation at 14 schools, as well as significant upgrades to athletic facilities at White Stadium. Also in the plan are facility improvements to nearly every city community. Among the projects: energy and water efficiency upgrades, installation of solar panels, renovations to bathrooms and kitchens, school yard improvements, and the installation of air conditioners and drinking water fountains, the district says in a news release.
Wu’s Green New Deal for BPS would also aim to bring equitable job opportunities and retool Boston’s public infrastructure to lower carbon emissions and make city-owned property more climate-resilient.
The school district's facilities make up almost half of all emissions from city-owned buildings, according to the city.
Wu’s proposal would be the largest revamp of Boston school facilities, the majority of which were built before 1950.
