California State University, Monterey Bay
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Advocacy and State Relations (ASR) monitors all sustainability legislation that impacts the CSU specifically…but generally sustainability is drafted to cover wider sectors beyond the CSU and higher education…such as climate change (Cap and Trade money), energy efficiency, water resources and other utility issues that impact the operation and physical facilities on our campuses. ASR and the Chancellor’s Office also work with the Governor’s Office Sustainability Task Force; and we are members of the Direct Access Customer Coalition and the Alliance for Retail Markets advocacy groups to advocate in the best interest of the CSU with energy and sustainability efforts.

The Legislature had a few measures of interest to the CSU that we paid special attention to in 2015:
· SB 350 (De Leon) which established targets to increase renewable electricity to 50% by 2030…the Governor signed SB 350. CSU had a WATCH position.

· SB 286 (Hertzberg) increases direct access services across the state, including the CSU…we have a SUPPORT position on SB 286, but the measure has been slowed down in the legislative process. SB 286 is a 2-year measure that we continue to support.

· AB 1150 (Levine) authorized public owned utilities to expands Energy Efficiency Partnership Programs to include the CSU and UC…the Governor signed AB 1150. The CSU had a SUPPORT position and ASR worked with UC to advocate for this expansion.

Much of the sustainability advocacy action happens at the agency administrative law level which is tends to be much more targeted at tactical in nature. The Chief of Energy and Sustainability position has been filled for just 4 months as the unit completes its hiring for Program Managers we anticipate being involved at this level. Currently the PUC’s Distributed Energy Resources, HOPS and PCIA proceedings are being tracked closely and staff has commented on the CEC’s implementation of AB 802. https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/Lists/DocketLog.aspx?docketnumber=15-OIR-05

One of the statewide priorities for Energy and Sustainability is to cooperate with UC (they got $25M) in advocating for retaining the Governor’s proposed budget of $35M in Cap and Trade funding for CSU. The Governor proposed $35M this FY but this appropriation was tabled and never revived by the Legislature.

1. Advocacy and State Relations (ASR) led by Chancellor's Office - Nichole Munoz-Murillo and Wess Larson.

2. Administrative law agencies like Utilities Commission, Energy Commission, Air Resources Board, Strategic Growth Council, Office of Planning and Research, Cal-Fire, etc. – Led by CO subject matter experts

3. Local Administrative law agencies like local Air Pollution Control District (APCD) or Sanitary/Waste districts – led by CO or regional campus leaders

4. Surrounding cities & counties (Climate Action and/or Resilience Plans, General Plan updates, CEQA, etc.) led by campus Executives and staff.