Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

A university committee's bold suggestions for better campus environmental practices have stalled after university officials nearly forgot about the year-old recommendations.

The Environmental Stewardship Committee, a collection of staff, faculty and students formed under the direction of Provost Bill Destler, drafted a detailed list last October of suggestions to design more environmentally-friendly construction projects and provide better water and air quality to the campus.

If approved, the suggestions would be incorporated into the Facilities Council's Master Plan, which is the design for all future campus development. But an "unfounded fear" about the cost of the suggested university changes has deterred administration officials, said Jack Sullivan, the committee's co-chair, and slowed progress in making the campus more "environmentally sustainable."

"There was some concern that this would be looked at as causing undue financial strain, so we were asked to look at it carefully and asked to not bring it further," said Sullivan, a landscape architecture associate professor. "They may be jumping to conclusions, but I really don't know. We tried to get a better handle on this and have not yet been able to do so."

The committee's recommendations to plan future construction with energy conservation in mind would save the university money over time despite greater construction costs, Facilities Management Associate Vice President Frank Brewer acknowledged. But the proposal has been neglected since the committee brought it to the administration's attention in January, he said.

"It got overtaken by other issues that I have been working on, but I am certainly not opposed to it and would be happy to re-energize my review," he said.

The Facilities Council approved a more general list of environmental guidelines introduced by the environmental committee in May 2005. The latest draft, which includes suggestions for increased campus recycling, better storm-water management, investment in renewable energy and construction of LEED-certified buildings, which conserve energy and minimize pollution, was written last October.

The desire for more environmentally-conscious development here precedes the committee's creation in 2003. Former Gov. Parris Glendening targeted the university to serve as a model of environmentally-sustainable growth and wanted the construction of an addition to the Biology-Psychology Building to become a "green" building, according to William Mallari, Facility Management's coordinator for campus development.

However, Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich's administration has not provided funding for "green" buildings in the state's capital construction program, university officials said. Green buildings, like LEED-certified buildings, use natural light where possible, reduce greenhouse emissions, minimize water use and cut energy costs.

"We have not been able to achieve the funding that we need in order to make this happen," Brewer said. "However, it is just a question of time and soon all the buildings will be 'green' buildings, whether they be LEED-certified or not."

University officials are touting plans for environmentally-friendly construction at the new research and technology park, M-Square, near the College Park Metro Station. The university-owned land will be tentatively leased to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others, and house a LEED-certified building.

The new building will feature a plant-covered roof to reduce energy loss, and all rain water will be filtered for pollutants before it reaches soil, said John Porcari, the university's vice president of administrative affairs.

The university has already committed itself to an environmental sustainability campaign that has made quiet changes across the campus. Parking lots next to Van Munching Hall have been replaced with grass to reduce pollutants flowing into nearby streams. Campus-wide recycling rates have increased with more bins and better education. University buses now run on ethanol fuel, and lights in all university buildings are being replaced with more efficient bulbs, officials said.

But student leaders still expect more.

"We're definitely not at the bottom of the scale for schools' environmental commitment, but we definitely have a long way to go," said Amy Dewan, a sophomore MaryPIRG activist. "President [Dan] Mote said he wants the university to be at the top, and I think a lot that can be done for that is making the university more energy-efficient."

MaryPIRG has lobbied the university for several years to purchase wind energy, and while the university has no immediate plans to make such purchases, the state recently joined a multi-state agreement to increase its use of renewable energy in 2004.

That may lead the university to piggyback on state renewable energy purchases, said Joan Kowal, Facility Management's energy manager.

"With the increase of energy prices in Maryland, wind energy is now more comparable ... They could definitely do that for all of [the new development in] East Campus," said Colleen Spivey, MaryPIRG's campus organizer. "We do rely on state funds, but most schools are short on funding and others have found ways to off-set 100 percent of their carbon emissions and we haven't off-set any."

Contact reporter Ben Block at blockdbk@gmail.com.

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