Adams: $4 billion project will convert 100 schools from oil to electric heating
NEW YORK -- New York City is pledging billions of dollars to make public schools greener.
Over the next decade, 100 schools will be retrofitted from oil to electric heating thanks to the historic investment, CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported Friday.
Mayor Eric Adams made the announcement while touring Ronald McNair School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where middle school students were learning about the giant clean-energy project being undertaken in their building and beyond.
"I know that he's trying to make the school an electric school, and trying to get rid of all the gas buildings," said fifth grader Kaleb Legette.
"A $4 billion program to electrify our city schools," said Adams.
Old boiler systems that run on oil will be converted to electric heating at schools across the city.
"It eliminates all the pollution that would be caused by the combustion, the burning of fossil fuel that was already so dirty to begin with," said Kizzy Charles-Guzman from the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice.
Environmental advocates said upgrading the heating systems is equivalent to taking 26,000 cars off the road and means cleaner air for students.
"They will not have to worry about the fumes and things that are coming in the school and coming outside in the community," said Principal Lena Gates.
The city chose Ronald McNair as the first school to upgrade because of its location in a neighborhood with above-average asthma rates.
"All of this is connected to the environment and that is why we are here," said Adams. "No more contributing to asthma."
"I have something very similar to asthma. I have a shortness of breath and that may be caused from air pollution," said fifth grader Donald smith.
The mayor said all schools built from now on will rely on electric heat.
"It's going to be much more environmentally friendly for my generation," said Kaleb.
The project's timeline runs into 2030.