College of Menominee Nation
At a Glance
Industry
College or University
Project Types
Commercial Energy Efficiency, Goals/Targets, Sustainability and Energy Management Strategy
Year
2018
Location
Keshena, WI
Summary
Sonja Meintsma conducted a feasibility analysis for CMN which gave them the tools needed to employ carbon sequestration to offset annual emissions and hit their goal of Climate neutrality.
Goals
The College of Menominee Nation (CMN) is a Tribal Community College and Land Grant Institution of higher education, chartered by the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. CMN’s primary campus sits on 53 acres of which 35 are forestland that was gifted to the college in 2009 by the Menominee Tribal Legislature. As a signatory member of the American Colleges and University President’s Climate Commitment, they have pledged to become Climate Neutral. Acknowledging the vast resources of their campus forestlands, CMN’s Sustainable Development Institute tasked EDF Climate Corps fellow Sonja Meintsma to conduct a feasibility analysis of using forest carbon sequestration to offset emissions.
Solutions
Meintsma gathered information relating to previous forest projects on campus, including a Center for First Americans Forestlands (CFAF) survey of a sample plot completed between 2013 and 2015. She also researched potential pathways of carbon-offset projects, taking into consideration the size of the acreage and the costs of registered offset projects. Based on this research she recommended CMN follow in the steps of Colgate University’s accounting for carbon sequestration on campus forestlands. She also calculated baseline estimates and expected annual carbon sequestration amounts for the campus forestlands.
Additionally, Meintsma recommended basic strategy improvements that will help CMN meet their environmental commitments. These include:
- Reinvigorating the campus’ Sustainability Committee
- Setting concrete climate neutrality and carbon emissions goals
- Implementing various energy efficiency projects
- Integrating campus energy use data into DOE’s Energy Management Portfolio Manager
Potential Impact
Using the 2014 CFAF data, Meintsma identified a baseline estimate of total sequestered carbon dioxide equivalent of 6,000 MTCO2e on CMN’s 34.6 acres, with an expected annual amount of 61 MTCO2e per year. As a result, CMN is in a better position to make an informed decision on the viability of implementing a carbon sequestration accounting project to offset their annual emissions of 2,100 MTCO2e, which would move them towards their goal of climate neutrality.