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                        NEWS FROM 

                   SENATOR DON ROGERS


            State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814
                     (916) 445-6637


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For Immediate Release -- March 13, 1995


    STATE GRANT PROVIDES TWO SANTA CLARITA HIGH SCHOOLS
          WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS


State Senator Don Rogers 
Assemblyman William J. Knight 

State Senator Don Rogers and Assemblyman William J. "Pete" Knight 
announced that the William S. Hart Union High School District in 
Santa Clarita will install energy efficient lighting and make 
other energy improvements at two of its campuses, thanks to the 
California Energy Commission's recommendation of a $165,500 
matching grant from a federal energy agency.  The grant, which 
need not be repaid, enables the district to reduce utility bills 
at the William S. Hart and Saugus High Schools by over $59,000 a 
year. 

"William S. Hart High School was built in stages, beginning back 
in 1947, so much of the campus offers opportunities for energy 
improvement," said Senator Rogers.  "Saugus High was built between
1974 through 1983.  These two schools will be the district's first
major energy modernization project to date.  As a result, 
classroom quality will be improved, even as utility costs are 
cut."

Michael Bahnmaier, the district's Director of Maintenance and 
Operations, explained that outdated fluorescent lamps and 
fixtures will be replaced with energy-saving models at both 
schools.  Inefficient incandescent lights will be changed to 
fluorescents, and newly-installed motion sensors will turn off 
lights in areas that are unoccupied.  

Sophisticated Energy Management Systems will be installed at both 
campuses to cut the district's heating and cooling bills.  In 
addition, exterior lights will be converted to High Pressure 
Sodium and Metal Halide designs at Saugus High School.  

"Our district runs four comprehensive high schools, four junior 
high schools, a continuation high school and one alternative high 
school," Bahnmaier explained.  "Several facilities -- William S. 
Hart High in particular -- suffered severe damage in last year's 
earthquake.  We're still struggling to make repairs, and there 
was no way the district could undertake an extensive energy 
efficiency upgrade like this without the help of these matching 
funds."

"This project represents a true partnership between federal, 
state and local governments," agreed Assemblyman Knight.  "These 
energy-saving programs allow school districts to cut their 
operating costs.  Even maintenance costs are reduced once the 
new lighting is installed, since the latest generation of 
energy-efficient florescent bulbs are longer-lasting.  Schools 
don't have to pay to have them replaced as frequently, and the 
savings continue year after year."  

Total cost of the Saugus High School project will be $181,300, 
while $151,900 will be spent at William S. Hart High School.  The 
school district will receive this year's maximum grant from the 
Energy Commission, with the rest of the funding coming from the 
district's general fund.  From the energy savings alone, the 
district should recover its roughly $167,700 in matching funds in 
under three years. 

The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through 
its Institutional Conservation Program.  The California Energy 
Commission administers the funds to schools and hospitals willing 
to invest matching funds for energy efficiency.  


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For more information, contact:

Michael Bahnmaier, 
Director of Maintenance and Operations 
William S. Hart Union High School District
(805) 259-0033 ext. 321

Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director
California Energy Commission, (916) 654-4989


End of file
File Name: 95-03-13_Senator Rogers_Release