| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.63 |
| Liaison | Konrad Schlarbaum |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Konrad
Schlarbaum Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Local advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
UCCS leaders work with City Council as issues arise. Engagement can be at City Council meetings or within processes that are initiated by the City. There has been representation on all of the Colorado Springs Electricity, Electric Integrated Resource Plans, two year processes to determine the grid mix. The City Council serves as the Board of Directors for the utility. The university has advocated for more renewables in the mix in each of the planning processes. The approved Sustainable Energy Plan includes an 80% carbon reduction and the decommissioning of all Springs Utilities coal generation by 2030, including the downtown Martin Drake Power Plant by 2023.
https://www.csu.org/Pages/SustainableEnergyPlan.aspx
https://www.csu.org/Pages/SustainableEnergyPlan.aspx
Regional advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
On behalf of the CU System, the Office of Government Relations (OGR) leads state and federal advocacy efforts for all four CU campuses. In recent years, OGR has advocated for a number of sustainability-related policy efforts, including bolstering funding for climate-focused research, as well as other relevant policies.
At the state level, the CU System Office monitors bills, engages with legislators, coordinates expert testimony from students, faculty, and staff, and responds to requests for fiscal impact about the anticipated cost of implementation of new legislation.
During the state legislation session (January – May), the Government Relations team hosts meetings every other week with campus leadership and with campus stakeholders engaged in providing feedback about potential legislation. The team reports on the status of various legislation and discusses its efforts to represent the interests of the University of Colorado and higher education at the Capitol. In addition to other topics, the team pays particular attention to bills that affect a campus’ built environment, including efforts to improve sustainability. Some key examples of recent legislation that the University of Colorado has engaged in at the Capitol include:
House Bill 21-1286: Energy Performance for Buildings
The bill directs the Colorado Energy Office to implement a building performance program and requires owners of certain large buildings to submit annual energy use data to the office and to meet certain energy performance standards. The University engaged extensively with the bill sponsors and the Colorado Energy Office to discuss bill definitions and cost implications.
House Bill 21-1303 Global Warming Potential for Public Project Materials
The bill directs the Office of the State Architect to establish the maximum global warming potential for certain materials used in public construction projects. The University reviewed and provided extensive feedback about the bill and its subsequent implementation.
Senate Bill 23-016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Measures
Among other things, the bill updates the state’s greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. The University of Colorado closely tracks the state’s emission reduction goals to ensure that its internal goals are in line with, or more ambitious, than the state’s goals. Campus sustainability and climate action plans reflect this approach.
At the state level, the CU System Office monitors bills, engages with legislators, coordinates expert testimony from students, faculty, and staff, and responds to requests for fiscal impact about the anticipated cost of implementation of new legislation.
During the state legislation session (January – May), the Government Relations team hosts meetings every other week with campus leadership and with campus stakeholders engaged in providing feedback about potential legislation. The team reports on the status of various legislation and discusses its efforts to represent the interests of the University of Colorado and higher education at the Capitol. In addition to other topics, the team pays particular attention to bills that affect a campus’ built environment, including efforts to improve sustainability. Some key examples of recent legislation that the University of Colorado has engaged in at the Capitol include:
House Bill 21-1286: Energy Performance for Buildings
The bill directs the Colorado Energy Office to implement a building performance program and requires owners of certain large buildings to submit annual energy use data to the office and to meet certain energy performance standards. The University engaged extensively with the bill sponsors and the Colorado Energy Office to discuss bill definitions and cost implications.
House Bill 21-1303 Global Warming Potential for Public Project Materials
The bill directs the Office of the State Architect to establish the maximum global warming potential for certain materials used in public construction projects. The University reviewed and provided extensive feedback about the bill and its subsequent implementation.
Senate Bill 23-016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Measures
Among other things, the bill updates the state’s greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. The University of Colorado closely tracks the state’s emission reduction goals to ensure that its internal goals are in line with, or more ambitious, than the state’s goals. Campus sustainability and climate action plans reflect this approach.
National advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
On behalf of the CU System, the Office of Government Relations (OGR) leads state and federal advocacy efforts for all four CU campuses. In recent years, OGR has advocated for a number of sustainability-related policy efforts, including bolstering funding for climate-focused research, as well as other relevant policies.
At the federal level examples from 2022-2023 include the following:
- Expressed support for funding wildland fire science, including via the joint USDA/Interior Joint Fire Science Program
- Expressed support for the National Integrated Drought Information System reauthorization
- Expressed support for NOAA's national network of Cooperative Institutes
- Expressed support for NASA climate monitoring missions
- Expressed support for NOAA's Climate Adaptation Partnerships program
- Expressed support for USGS's Climate Adaptation Science Centers
- Expressed support for the Climate Adaptation Science Centers Act
- Expressed support for the National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program Act
At the federal level examples from 2022-2023 include the following:
- Expressed support for funding wildland fire science, including via the joint USDA/Interior Joint Fire Science Program
- Expressed support for the National Integrated Drought Information System reauthorization
- Expressed support for NOAA's national network of Cooperative Institutes
- Expressed support for NASA climate monitoring missions
- Expressed support for NOAA's Climate Adaptation Partnerships program
- Expressed support for USGS's Climate Adaptation Science Centers
- Expressed support for the Climate Adaptation Science Centers Act
- Expressed support for the National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program Act
International advocacy
No
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
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Optional Fields
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None
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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