FARMINGTON — The Mt. Blue Regional School District Board of Directors held a public hearing Tuesday night on the pending renovation of the Mt. Blue High School and Foster Tech Center.

The remodeling is a state-approved and state-funded project, with about 93 percent of the $63.2 million covered by the State. The project will reuse 60 percent of the existing property, and will add about 12 acres of land to create an 80-acre campus with new athletic fields, including a new track and tennis courts, and new parking lots and driveways.

This project will transform Mt. Blue into a green facility, using technologies such as geothermal, wind-generated power, solar photovoltaic, wood chip boilers, and solar water heaters. It will help reduce dependence on foreign fuel as well as reduce operation and maintenance costs. In addition to these energy-efficient technologies, the new building will be fully wired with fiber optics and CAT 6 communication wiring, with all classrooms containing SMART boards and wireless laptop access.

Designed to accommodate almost 1,000 students, the new school is seen by the board as a “lifelong learning campus,” offering adult education, Franklin County Community College courses, University extension courses, and industry-specific training. Ideally, this kind of cross-generational community learning campus, which will also encourage student internships, service learning, and school-to-work programs, will promote a broader use of Franklin County community resources. Should enrollment exceed the projected number of students, two of the three learning communities included in the project are already being designed to accommodate the extras by expanding the rooftops.

The Board of Directors has been spreading the news of the project to local communities, speaking at various meetings in order to seek and gauge approval of the project, and the project has been met with overwhelming approval. The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce issued a statement last week expressing their unanimous approval of the project and encouraging all to vote in favor of it at the referendum Sept. 15.

“This is an incredible opportunity for this community,” Superintendent Michael Cormier said.

If approved by the voters, the project is expected to be completed by August 2013.