Florida International University
PAE-24: Sustainability Policy Advocacy

FIU Government Relations advocates for sustainability policy as it fits within the mission of the university. Extreme Events Institute The Extreme Events Institute will advance research and state-of-the-art practice toward improving mitigation and reducing risks of severe natural events such as hurricanes, sea level rise and storm surges, building upon the strengths of its International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) and the Wall of Wind testing facility—the only one of its kind in the world capable of generating enough power to mimic a category 5 hurricane. The Center also has extensive computation and data collection resources that are used to model storm surges, predict inland flooding, and analyze potential damage to the built environment. Following Superstorm Sandy, Congress and the administration are keenly interested in research and development into extreme weather events. FIU seeks opportunities from NOAA and NSF and seeks to influence possible legislation reauthorizing programs at NOAA to direct programmatic funding to entities such as the Center. UniversityCity Prosperity Initiative FIU plans to build upon its vision for a more livable, connected and technological community both in and around the FIU campuses and South Florida region. UniversityCity, a catalytic project of national significance, will integrate FIU into its surrounding neighborhoods, including the City of Sweetwater, with enhanced access to transportation, housing, shopping and community life that will provide an economic boost to the region. The vision of UniversityCity is to create a new urban destination of choice to live and work with dramatically improved walkability, deploy state of the art Advanced Transit Oriented Development design to facilitate modal shifts, and implement first in U.S. consumer-oriented predictive apps to guide best choices for transit and auto customers. As part of this effort, FIU hosted the Obama Administration's top sustainability officer for a site visit. Along with its partners the City of Sweetwater, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, the State of Florida, IBM and Miami-Dade County, the alliance will also pursue deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems to impact congestion in the entire region. FIU seeks support of the U.S. Department of Transportation in implementing the UniversityCity vision. HUD Seven/50 Regional Planning Grant Seven50 (“seven counties, 50 years”) is a blueprint for growing a more prosperous, more desirable Southeast Florida during the next 50 years and beyond. The plan is being developed to help ensure socially inclusive communities, a vibrant and resilient economy, and stewardship of the fragile ecosystem in what is quickly becoming one of the world’s most important mega-regions. FIU has been deeply involved with obtaining this grant with FIU's Vice President for Governmental Relation serves on the project's Executive Committee. FIU also advocates support for sustainability funding in Congress with little success, but continues to pursue objectives locally.