| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.84 |
| Liaison | Noah Upchurch |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Catawba College
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.33 / 2.00 |
Noah
Upchurch Senior Sustainability Specialist Center for the Environment |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
The Center has met with numerous local decision-makers to advance sustainability in local public policy through conversations with Rowan County Commissioners, the Town Manager of the City of Salisbury, and the Mayor of Spencer. These conversations with local legislators have spanned a number of topics, including developing interconnected public transportation to reduce dependence on single-occupancy vehicle driving, advocating for a more robust litter removal and prevention system within the City of Salisbury, providing improved biking infrastructure for citizens of the City, and helping to design and implement a greenway system that serves our campus and the larger community.
The College recently worked with the City's Planning Department to expand the existing greenway system, planning an extension to connect the greenway alley along grant's creek and behind the College's Frock Fields.
The College has also advocated for the integration of sustainability into economic development incentives from the City.
To enhance our advocacy for more comprehensive litter reduction and recycling programs in the City of Salisbury, The College hosted the Morehead-Cain Foundation for a three-day session on Catawba College's campus that convened fifteen community leaders and sixty-eight Morehead-Cain Scholars from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a session to design plans for the reduction of litter and increased recycling in Salisbury.
The College has advocated and further worked to promote active erosion control projects through live staking with students and faculty along the greenway abutting the college's practice fields.
These activities are representative of the types of advocacy the Center has done since its founding in 1996. We see local advocacy as an important part of the Center's mission. We often meet with local officials and seek to make our community a more sustainable place for all residents.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
Brad Ives, then Executive Director of the Catawba College Center for the Environment, joined a group of other professionals, business leaders, and investors in signing a letter by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) to the Environmental Protection Agency. This letter was written in response to two proposed rulemakings by the EPA regarding:
1) the regulation of light- and medium-duty vehicle (car) emissions, and
2) the regulation of heavy-duty vehicle (truck) greenhouse gas emissions for model years 2027-2032.
The letter advocates that the EPA finalize stronger emissions standards for both classes of vehicles, including:
1) a standard for light- and medium-duty vehicles that “achieves at least a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by model year 2030,” and
2) standards for heavy-duty vehicles that create a path towards “all new heavy-duty vehicle sales being zero emissions by 2035.”
Furthermore, the letter acknowledges the necessity of these standards to ensure that the United States remains economically competitive on a global level, and to reinforce the efforts of businesses to lower supply chain emissions and lower costs for consumers, especially businesses with a small market-share. Additionally, this letter recognizes the importance of such actions in the efforts to “tackle the climate crisis and address air pollution,” as well as those to “create good American jobs.”
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.