| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.40 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Bodine |
| Submission Date | April 25, 2022 |
Weber State University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jennifer
Bodine Sustainability Specialist Facilities Management |
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:
Weber State University has been actively supporting Ogden City's participation in the Utah 100 Communities program. The Community Renewable Energy Program was made possible by state legislation in 2019 (House Bill 411) that allows eligible local governments to procure net-100% renewable electricity by 2030 on behalf of their residents and businesses. A program overview can be found here - https://www.utah100communities.org/
The Utah 100 Communities effort was launched in January 2020 to convene all the eligible local governments and begin completing the next required steps in the process. Chief among those next steps is the completion of a Governance Agreement that specifies how participating communities will make decisions and share implementation costs.
The governance subgroup of the Utah 100 Communities has been meeting bimonthly since February 2020 to discuss elements of the required agreement and to identify a consensus-based path forward. WSU's energy manager has been attending the governance meetings with Ogden City staff and providing technical assistance throughout the process.
A timeline for agreement completion and renewable energy procurement can be found here - https://www.utah100communities.org/overview
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:
WSU President Mortensen is a signatory of the Utah Climate and Clean Air Compact. As a signatory of this compact, President Mortensen stated support for the mileposts outlined in The Utah Roadmap: Positive Solutions to Climate and Air Quality which can be located here - https://gardner.utah.edu/utahroadmap/
Signing the compact also meant supporting the following six principles:
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: Poor air quality has an immediate impact on the health of Utah families, especially our most vulnerable communities. Climate change poses a large and growing threat to the health and prosperity of Utah communities and beyond. We ask Utahns to take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and criteria pollutants in a manner that lifts all communities. The next ten years are critical.
CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY: Many strategies – such as improving energy efficiency, reducing auto emissions, developing transit and active transportation systems, and advancing innovative energy solutions – benefit both air quality and our climate. This clean air-climate connection provides common ground for action. We affirm we can make progress by addressing both.
ECONOMY: Important industries such as agriculture, tourism/winter recreation, technology, and energy will benefit from Utah’s climate and clean air leadership. Salt Lake City’s selection as the U.S. bid city for a future Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment by taking decisive action to reduce emissions.
RE-ENERGIZE UTAH: Efforts to address climate change and air quality are leading to rapid advancements in technology and a global economic and energy revolution. This revolution will touch every aspect of our lives and economy and create new opportunities for innovation as we achieve a resilient, clean, and affordable energy future. Utah is in a unique position to seize these opportunities through our robust solar energy industry and our abundant clean energy resources.
RURAL UTAH: The energy transition poses challenges for rural Utah communities. We urge the state to prioritize economic development and investment in rural areas impacted by changing energy markets.
LEADERSHIP AND THE UTAH WAY: Utahns have a proud history of leading on and investing in challenging issues with collaborative solutions. Whether it is refugee resettlement, immigration reform, anti-discrimination, quality growth, fiscal responsibility, or religious freedom, Utah leads. We enthusiastically support applying “The Utah Way” to make our climate and air quality leadership another Utah success story.
Information about the compact can be found here - https://climateandcleanaircompact.org/ and a list of signatories can be found here - https://climateandcleanaircompact.org/signatories/
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:
Weber State University was one of several higher education institutions that submitted a letter to President Biden urging that the United States set a goal to cut GHG emissions by 50% by 2030. This effort was organized by Second Nature. Information about this campaign and a list of the signatories can be found here - https://secondnature.org/highered_ndcletter/
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:
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