(Estherville)– The board of trustees of Iowa Lakes Community College Tuesday adopted the colleges “Climate Action Plan” as presented by Delaine Hiney, the college’s Executive Director of Facilities Management.
The plan outlines changes that have already taken place at the college, as well as those planned for the future, which will impact energy savings. College officials say the goal is to be “climate neutral” in two areas–those which relate to the operations of the college’s facilities and college vehicles–by a target date of 2020. Iowa Lakes has set a goal to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2040.
Officials say the plan will be updated as the college grows and technologies improve.
The report will now be submitted to the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment as required by the college’s membership guidelines.
Trustees also approved an ACE, or Accelerated Career Education infrastructure project, which will be submitted to the Iowa Department of Economic Development for authorization. The request for funding for the 2010 fiscal year is for a Construction Technology building at the Emmetsburg campus, which is expected to be constructed in the next year. The center would train technicians in energy efficiency building techniques.
Trustees also endorsed three grant applications to be submitted as part of the Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation grant competition. They include a grant request of 31,215-dollars with a match of 10,450-dollars from the college for a U-V filtration system at the Smith Wellness Center; a request of 18,582-dollars with a match of 6,194-dollars from the college for equipment changes and a sauna upgrade at the Smith Wellness Center; and a grant request of 1,500-dollars and a match from Iowa Lakes of 500-dollars for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP.
Trustees also approved training agreements with several area companies.
