Janice Weis, Associate Dean and Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program, said the conference was groundbreaking given its comprehensive scope.

“The conference moved beyond a discussion of climate change and its causes and tackled the issue of how alternative or renewable energy sources might be used to ‘green the grid,’” Weis said. “The conference looked at the economic, legal, and technical issues involved in employing a variety of different energy sources and, in doing so, allowed us to gain an appreciation for the very complex issues involved in climate change.”

Speakers addressed a wide spectrum of energy sources including ocean wave, nuclear, coal, solar, and wind, as well as the federal and state regulatory landscape that contributes to or impedes renewable energy development.

“It was clear that the speakers have been spending time in their positions giving great thought as to how all sectors—academic, private, government, and non-profit—might contribute to a better understanding of how to address climate change.”

In this video, conference participants share their motives for attending and the rolls they each play toward Greening the Grid.

The Sustainability Education Initiative is a program of professional development coursework and activities for K-12 teachers in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. During three courses offered in 2009, Smith will prepare 50-60 teachers to incorporate sustainability issues into their classrooms and help them implement school or community projects that will enhance local natural and social environments. Participants will be eligible for small seed grants to fund start-up projects. The grant aims to increase the number of teachers implementing sustainability projects in schools, and increase student and educator awareness of local natural systems, ecologies, and social needs.

In this video, Smith visits Zenger Farm with the first cohort of teachers, and discusses the importance of teaching sustainability using place-based education.

“This project benefits the college and our community in many ways,” said Thomas Hochstettler, president of Lewis & Clark College. “It supports our vision toward sustainability, offers our students the opportunity to learn about green technology, and serves as a model for what I hope are many more projects like this all over Oregon. It’s a great example in which the environment wins while the education and business sectors thrive.”

The panels are expected to generate more than 97,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. They will produce enough power to meet approximately 15 percent of the electricity needs for a facility like the sports center. And they will deliver environmental benefits as well, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 1.8 million pounds over the course of the 20-year agreement. According to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this is equivalent to removing more than 180 cars from the road for a year.

The project will also provide the college approximately $20,000 a year in energy savings and serve as an educational resource for faculty and students about renewable energy and conservation. Professors and students will be able see the real-time electrical output of the solar technology through a Web portal and learn how the system operates.

Energy Trust of Oregon, a public-purpose organization that promotes the use of efficient energy technologies and renewable resources, will help fund the project.

“This type of agreement is a financially viable way for organizations to go green,” said Kacia Brockman, solar program manager for Energy Trust of Oregon. “Lewis & Clark is leading the way for other schools and creating advocates for solar energy in the process.”

The Honeywell project is the most recent example of the college’s commitment to the environment. Along with being an American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment signatory, Lewis & Clark serves as the home for Focus the Nation, a national “teach-in” event aimed at bringing academia and government together to find global warming solutions. The college also meets more than 30 percent of its electrical energy requirements through a grassroots renewable energy advocacy program that funds the use of green power through voluntary student donations.

“By developing projects that have environmental and financial drivers, we will see the type of widespread adoption that will have a lasting impact on greenhouse gas emissions,” said Kent Anson, vice president of Global Energy for Honeywell Building Solutions. “This solar installation will not only deliver long term value to Lewis & Clark, but also the greater Portland community.”
Honeywell expects to install the solar panels and begin providing the college with electricity by August 2008.

The Oct. 1 symposium will focus on existing ocean wave energy law and policy and how to make U.S. businesses more competitive in this market. The symposium is specifically designed for non-legal professionals who are interested in the subject such as reporters to explain the complex issues in clear, simple terms.

“We are thrilled that Lewis & Clark Law School can provide a forum to discuss this important new source of renewable power,” said Janet Neuman, professor of law and co-director of the law school’s Natural Resources Law Institute. “We hope this program will contribute to the understanding of ocean wave energy and to the development of a sensible legal and policy framework.”

FERC Commissioner Phil Moeller will kick off the symposium with a keynote address. Thomas Jensen ’83 of the Washington, D.C. Sonnenschein law firm will provide an overview of current federal and state regulations. Oregon congressional leaders will speak via videoconference. A panel of experts, including Governor Kulongoski, will discuss strategies to grow the industry, protect the environment and serve the state of Oregon.

The symposium will take place in Smith Hall, Lewis & Clark College at 0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road. Co-sponsors of the event include Finavera Renewables, Tonkon Torp LLP, and Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal LLP. For conference registration information and a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.lclark.edu/dept/elaw/2007_ocean_conf.html.