Gates Chili Central School District

For several years, Gates Chili has made a concerted effort to reduce its environmental impact. Two recently-awarded grants are set to help those efforts in “going green” while also providing a cost-savings to district taxpayers. 

This spring, the district was awarded a grant that makes Gates Chili one of the few districts in the state to add electric school buses to its fleet. The two awards totaling $400,000 provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will allow the district to purchase two electric school buses. These school buses will be purchased in place of conventional diesel school buses that would have been replaced on the district’s regular bus replacement plan. They are expected to arrive in late spring to early summer.

The district has also received grant funding that will help with bus charging stations. This grant will cover nearly all of the costs associated with Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) running power to the transformer that powers charging stations at the transportation department. Both grant funds make it possible for the district to lessen its carbon footprint without added cost to taxpayers.

“Usually, organizations must invest money up front when establishing green business procedures, that then turn into cost-savings over time. However, in Gates Chili, grant funds for both electric bus purchases and powering our new electric charging stations offset this early investment, meaning an even greater cost-savings for the district.” said Assistant Superintendent for Business Dr. Mitchell Ball.

Additionally, the district has implemented several other green efficiencies in collaboration with NYSERDA over the last few years. There are two new public electric vehicle charging stations, located near the Gates Chili Performing Arts Center, that can charge four vehicles at the same time. They charge at about seven kilowatts per hour and are available for use 24/7 using the ChargePoint app. These stations, coupled with new solar panels on the roof of the Gates Chili Middle School, lighting upgrades, and a new power management system, are making the Gates Chili Central School District a front-runner in reducing education’s carbon footprint.

“Gates Chili continues to be a leader in multiple areas, from our state-of-the-art facilities to DE&I practices, and now environmental practices,” said Superintendent Christopher Dailey. “With an operation the size of Gates Chili, it’s important to pave the way to more sustainable energy sources. We will continue to look for opportunities to limit our environmental impact and create a better future for our students.”