Lower Costs, Cleaner Energy: Davids Highlights Solar Project at Shawnee Fire Stations

SHAWNEE, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited the City of Shawnee Fire Station Headquarters to see the new solar panels installed with federal resources she secured. At Davids’ request, $126,750 was approved to support solar panel installation at both the Headquarters and Fire Station 73. Now that construction is complete, the panels are helping lower energy costs for the city. B-roll footage of today’s visit can be found here.

“Our first responders deserve the resources to do their jobs safely, efficiently, and sustainably. That’s why I worked with Shawnee leaders to secure this solar project — helping lower energy costs while supporting the critical work of our local fire department,” said Davids. “I’m proud to bring home investments that strengthen our communities, save taxpayer dollars, and help modernize public safety infrastructure for the long term.”

"Fire stations require a lot of 'always-on' power to make sure we're ready to go whenever a 911 call comes in, so these solar panels will help keep our crews ready while also cutting costs to our taxpayers,” said Richard Potter, Fire Chief, Shawnee Fire Department. “They are a perfect fit for the City of Shawnee's promise to innovate and find new ways to save money every single day. Along with the other extensive renovations to both Stations 71 and 73, our crews are reaping the benefits of all the improvements made over the course of the last four years."

Each of the Davids-requested projects was submitted in tandem with local officials and selected for their potential to improve health and safety in the community and bring economic opportunity to the Third District. Appropriations requests are subject to strict transparency and accountability rules, which can be found here. More information on Davids’ most recent FY26 requests can be found here.