University of Washington, Seattle
PAE-24: Sustainability Policy Advocacy

Advancing sustainability is one of the core principals of the University of Washington (UW). The UW is a global leader in environmental science research, education, and technology transfer. We discover and share knowledge for the sustainability of our planet. For example, in FY11, the UW joined with dozens of partners from industry and academia throughout the state to secure a $45 million competitive grant from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) to establish a robust biorefining industry throughout the Pacific Northwest. The grant will help reduce US dependence on foreign oil, lower the carbon intensity of transportation fuels, and spur rural economic development.

The UW has three offices that coordinate to support public policy advocacy for the institution: The Offices of Federal Relations, State Relations, and Regional Relations. Within the Office of Federal Relations, the UW advocates for increased or maintained funding in the annual appropriations bills for several federal environmental research programs that advance sustainability. This includes programs such as the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science (UW advocating for a $108 million increase over FY12), DOE’s office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (UW pushing for a $515 million increase over FY12), The Department of the Interior’s United States Geological Survey (USGS), of which the Office of Federal Relations has been advocating for a $32 million increase, the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (UW advocated for maintained research funding), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (UW pushing for a $300 million increase).

One of the priority programs in the FY13 UW Federal Agenda is the EERE Water Power Program- which supports the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Program, co-operated by UW and Oregon State University. The UW has taken a leadership role in the field of tidal energy and the Office of Federal Relations constantly pushes this mission within Congress by sending letters of support to members encouraging various bills that would increase this funding, and even submitting legislative language for this year’s appropriations bills which would direct Congress to spend $34 million to expand marine and hydrokinetic research, development, and demonstration.