State Senator
Saud Anwar
Deputy President Pro Tempore
Working For You
- Representing
- East Hartford,
- Ellington,
- East Windsor,
- South Windsor
Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) and State Representative Jaime Foster (D-Ellington) welcomed this week’s announcement that Governor Ned Lamont’s administration will award Ellington with $3,704,938 through the HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools to improve air filtration and quality in local schools. This is part of a $56 million grant release to school systems across the state.
Ellington Center School will receive $671,000, Ellington Middle School will receive $1.003 million and Ellington High School will receive $2.03 million to facilitate improvements and upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; Ellington will supply remaining project costs.
The funds can be used for replacing, upgrading or repairing boilers and other heating/ventilation components; replacing controls and technology systems for HVAC operations; installing or upgrading air conditioning or ventilation systems; or other work approved by the Department of Administrative Services.
“Students and faculty deserve clean air for the best educational outcomes in schools,” said Sen. Anwar. “These vital grants will help improve student respiratory health and benefit Ellington not only in the short-term but the long-term as well. I’m grateful to Governor Lamont and his administration for investing in children’s health.”
“I was proud to advocate for this program and vote to approve it in last year’s budget,” said State Representative Jaime Foster (D-Ellington). “The Ellington delegation was happy to submit letters of support to obtain these grants. I’m happy to see Ellington receive these grants and I’m looking forward to making sure the rest of the towns in the 57th district are also eligible for future rounds of HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools grants.”
The grants program, administered by the state Department of Administrative Services, was created as part of the budget adjustment bill passed by lawmakers and signed into law in the spring of 2022. The law further requires schools to inspect and evaluate HVAC systems every five years, requires these reports to be made public, and requires the reporting of any corrective action taken.