| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.67 |
| Liaison | Mark Lichtenstein |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Mark
Lichtenstein Executive Director of Sustainability Energy and Sustainability |
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
ESF has had a long-standing on engaging in public policy advocacy at the municipal/local level on the issues related to environmental justice, environmental impact, and many other sustainability-related issues.
ESF has played a central role in advocating for Onondaga County to move toward greener, more environmentally friendly solutions for storm water runoff. ESF top administrators were strong advocates of the program and students and faculty have been involved in implementation and measuring and studying of the county’s Save The Rain Program, which has resulted in over 200 green municipal infrastructure projects in ESF's home county such as rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavement, cisterns and bioswales.
Recently ESF officials publicly endorsed the "community grid solution" as a sustainable alternative to redeveloping an elevated interstate highway in close proximity to the college's main campus and Syracuse's urban core. ESF advocated for the grid option citing numerous sustainability benefits such as being more pedestrian and bicycle friendly, and addressing social justice issues of previously bisected historicaly significant minority neighborhoods.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
The ESF Office of Government Relations, led by the Vice President for Government and External Relations links the College with the community, elected officials, and agencies to communicate about sustainability and environmental challenges and opportunities. The office continually works to develop relationships with those who have an opportunity to affect our future and fulfill ESF's vision of “a better world through environmental discovery.” Government Relations focuses its efforts on developing relationships with federal, state, and local governments in order to secure support for institutional initiatives and individual research projects consistent with the mission of the college and priorities and advocate for public policies that align with principles of sustainable development and responsible stewardship of natural resources. For example, ESF has directly engaged with New York State regarding definition and implementation of the 2019 Green New Deal for NYS.
In February 2019, ESF hosted a Senate Hearing with New York State Senator Rachel May, cosponsor of the Climate and Community Protection Act, a bill that would require the state to shift to 100 percent renewable power by 2050 and promote job opportunities within the renewable energy sector. The hearing gave stakeholdersfrom Central New York including top ESF officials an opportunity to weigh in on the legislation.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
ESF continues to directly and successfully advocate the national level with the New York congressional delegation on issues such as woody biomass use, the Green New Deal, and others.
Late in 2017, ESF gave testimony to the U.S. Congress about the state of disaster recovery and related environmental impacts in Puerto Rico.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
One of a few examples:
- As a member of the We-ALL, the College is advocating for a circular economy.
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):
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.