---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6371k"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6371k"
heading: "Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6371k"
units:
  - "Chapter 77 — Energy Conservation"
  - "Subchapter III — Improving Energy Efficiency"
  - "Part E — Energy Conservation Program for Schools and Hospitals"
---

# §6371k. Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools

- (a) **Definition of school—** In this section, the term “[school](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6)” means—
  - (1) an elementary [school](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) or secondary [school](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) (as defined in [section 7801 of title 20](/usc/20/7801.md));
  - (2) an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/11851.md?p=7) (as defined in [section 1001(a) of title 20](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a));
  - (3) a postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in [section 1002(c) of title 20](/usc/20/1002.md?p=c));
  - (4) a [school](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) of the defense dependents’ education system under the Defense Dependents’ Education Act of 1978 ([20 U.S.C. 921](/usc/20/921.md) et seq.) or established under [section 2164 of title 10](/usc/10/2164.md);
  - (5) a [school](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) operated by the Bureau of Indian Education;
  - (6) a tribally controlled [school](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) (as defined in [section 2511 of title 25](/usc/25/2511.md)); and
  - (7) a Tribal College or University (as defined in [section 1059c(b) of title 20](/usc/20/1059c.md?p=b)).
- (b) **Designation of lead agency—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) of [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) (in this section referred to as the “[Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1)”), acting through the Office of [Energy Efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) and Renewable [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), shall act as the lead Federal [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for coordinating and disseminating information on existing Federal programs and assistance that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofitting [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) for [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6).
- (c) **Requirements—** In carrying out coordination and outreach under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) in consultation and coordination with the appropriate Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), carry out a review of existing programs and financing mechanisms (including revolving loan funds and loan guarantees) available in or from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), the Department of Education, the Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and other appropriate Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) with jurisdiction over [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) financing and facilitation that are currently used or may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofitting [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) for [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6);
  - (2) establish a Federal cross-departmental collaborative coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline communication and promote available Federal opportunities and assistance described in [paragraph (1)](#c-1), for [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofitting [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) that enables [States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4), local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6)—
    - (A) to use existing Federal opportunities more effectively; and
    - (B) to form partnerships with [Governors](/usc/42/6371.md?p=21), [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) programs, local educational, financial, and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) officials, [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) and local government officials, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations, and other appropriate entities, to support the initiation of the [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4);
  - (3) provide [technical assistance](/usc/42/6371.md?p=17) for [States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4), local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) to help develop and finance [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofitting [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4)—
    - (A) to increase the [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) of [buildings](/usc/42/6321.md?p=c-2) or facilities;
    - (B) to install systems that individually [generate](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=8) [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) from renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) resources;
    - (C) to establish partnerships to leverage economies of scale and additional financing mechanisms available to larger clean [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) initiatives; or
    - (D) to promote—
      - (i) the maintenance of health, environmental quality, and safety in [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6), including the ambient air quality, through [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofit [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4); and
      - (ii) the achievement of expected [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) savings and renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) production through proper operations and maintenance [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19);
  - (4) develop and maintain a single online resource website with contact information for relevant [technical assistance](/usc/42/6371.md?p=17) and support staff in the Office of [Energy Efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) and Renewable [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) for [States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4), local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) to effectively access and use Federal opportunities and assistance described in [paragraph (1)](#c-1) to develop [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofitting [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4); and
  - (5) establish a process for recognition of [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) that—
    - (A) have successfully implemented [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), renewable [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3), and [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) retrofitting [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4); and
    - (B) are willing to serve as resources for other local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and [schools](/usc/42/6371.md?p=6) to assist initiation of similar efforts.
- (d) **Report—** Not later than 180 days after December 27, 2020, the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall submit to Congress a report describing the implementation of this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title I, § 1001, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2420.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Defense Dependents’ Education Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is title XIV of Pub. L. 95–561, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2365, which is classified principally to chapter 25A (§ 921 et seq.) of Title 20, Education. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 921 of Title 20 and Tables.

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Energy Act of 2020, and not as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act which comprises this chapter.