October 7th, 2004                                   61LCB#12 CU Solar Power

 

Sponsored by:                                        Eugene Pearson                        President Pro-Tempore

                                                            Stephen Fenberg           2nd Vice-President

                                                            Naomi Lopez                Arts & Sciences Senator

                                                            Meg Rapp                     Architecture & Planning Senator

                                                            Adam Wolach               Music Senator

 

Authored by:                                         Carina Molnar               UCSU Environmental Director

                                                            Eugene Pearson                        President Pro-Tempore

 

A Bill

Bill History

 

The UCSU and the University of Colorado at Boulder have had a long standing commitment to environmental sustainability.  This commitment is demonstrated by the use of 100% renewable energy in our cost centers, the commitment to sustainable building design in new campus buildings, the environmentally friendly oriented academic programs offered at CU, and the growing commitment to sustainable purchasing practices.  This track record has been followed by many universities across the country as they implement their own renewable energy purchases, build their own recycling facilities, and create their own environmental centers.  The UCSU has an opportunity to again place CU-Boulder in the spotlight through the use of solar energy on campus.  As one of the sunniest cities in America, Boulder has tremendous solar resources that can be tapped to provide the energy needed to power the campus.  If this referendum were to pass it could provide the campus with more than 100,000 watts of energy, enough energy to power more than 100 average American homes.  The price of fossil fuel energy will continue to increase; gasoline is expected to cost about $3.00/gallon by next summer.  The cost of solar power continues to decrease and the efficiency of those solar panels has been increasing rapidly as technology redefines the boundaries of how we obtain energy.  These factors allow solar energy to become a more lucrative investment in the future of not only out society, but the planet as a whole.

Bill Summary

 

This bill places the CU Solar Power referendum on the ballot for the Fall 2004 elections.

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED by the Legislative Council of the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT,

 

SECTION 1:  The following question shall be put on the ballot in the Spring 2004 elections:

 

“Do you support the construction of solar panels on campus to provide solar energy to student fee funded buildings thus decreasing our dependency on foreign fuels, cutting toxic emissions, and lowering energy costs through the allocation of $2.80 per student per semester, including summer, for the next four years?

 

         Yes ( )  No ( )”

 

SECTION 2:  The purpose statement for this referendum shall be:

 

“The purpose of this referendum is to purchase solar panels for the production of energy for student fee funded buildings.  The fund shall be administered by the Environmental Center which will be empowered to make decisions on appropriations from the Solar Energy fund to build solar panels and the required infrastructure on campus.”

 

SECTION 3:  The budget for this referendum shall be as follows:

           

“These funds will be used for: the purchase of the solar panels, the purchase of infrastructure necessary for the solar panels, installation of the solar panels, educational displays related to this solar project, costs for administering the solar project, associated travel expenses related to this solar project, and any other costs associated with the solar project.”

 

SECTION 4:  ENACTMENT. This bill takes effect upon passage upon passage by the Legislative Council and upon obtaining the signatures of the Council President and the Tri-Executives.

 

10/7/04                                                             Passed                                      12-0-0

10/14/04                                                            Passed                                      12-0-1

 

                                                                                                                                               

Eugene Pearson                                                                        Veronica Crespin                     

Legislative Council President                                          Tri-executive

 

 

______________________________                                    ______________________________

Joseph Neguse                                                              Garrett Stanton

Tri-executive                                                                 Tri-executive