Tulane University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

During recent years (2013 and 2014), Tulane University’s public policy advocacy for sustainability has included the following work: Local • Host of the Dutch Dialogues, a series of conversations and collaborations with experts from the Netherlands about water management in Deltaic environments. http://dutchdialogues.com/ • Supporter of Greater New Orleans Water Plan, a plan for more sustainable management of water resources in the New Orleans area. http://livingwithwater.com/urban_water_plan/about/ State • Tulane is working with Department of Health and Hospitals officials on a pilot rainwater harvesting and reuse project in a university building, with a larger goal of establishing guidelines and procedures that will allow permitting and use of these systems in other building in Louisiana. • HB 1067: Tulane University advocated in opposition to this bill, as it was intended to forbid the use of state funds for projects using LEED certification. • A package of bills was submitted as a result of the Tulane Prevention Research Center and state Senator David Heitmeir. o SCR20 – Support – Directs DHH to submit a state plan amendment to the federal government that will permit WIC cash value vouchers to be used at farmers markets o SB 512 – Support – provides for chain restaurant menu labeling o SB 514 - Support– Provides for the LA Obesity Prevention and Management Commission o SB 514 – Support Prohibits smoking near public and private elementary and secondary school property o SB 527 – Support – Provides for a complete streets policy and creates the complete streets advisory council Federal • Tulane advocates for funding for the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and other Federal agencies who fund work in climate change and sustainability including specifically the NSF program in Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability • Tulane supported the RESTORE Act, which dedicates penalties collected from BP to restoration of affected Gulf coast ecosystems and economies. • Support for funding for CDC Prevention Research Centers

The institution supports a number of funding and policy issues related to higher education and graduate medical education and sometimes opposes those that impact our mission. Examples include: • Funding for core science agencies: NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD • Support for reauthorization of the COMPETES Act • Advocate for Congress to end sequestration • Worked on tax issues related to higher education including Charitable deduction, and IRA Charitable Roll-Over