What an excellent fourth day of the Week of Action at Dominion! Several Hampton Roads residents came out today, from as far as Chesapeake and Norfolk, Hampton and Newport News, to help shine a spotlight on Dominion’s $76 Million Rip-Off and all the consequences that the company’s continued dependence on eastern Virginia, including driving climate change and sea level rise. Check out the picture below of our mock-submerged Virginia landmarks, the Tangier Island water tower and the Neptune Statue, among the icons of Virginia at risk due to climate change.
Those who made it to Richmond today represent a cross-section of the population of Hampton Roads impacted by extreme weather and rising water. Chris who deals with water coming in his house when it storms and is careful where he parks his car every high tide, Nicole who had to leave her home after it flooded with 2 feet of water in a hurricane, Dave who recognizes these events never used to flood homes but now cause major property damage.
We cannot allow beautiful, historic neighborhoods to become subject to permanent retreat of all inhabitants in our lifetimes. These climate warriors turned out today to say that the only solution to defend our coastal lowlying places against rising water is to get a handle on the climate pollution that drives climate change. Until Dominion Power adheres to the spirit of the RPS in Virginia, the law will not have its intended effect and Virginia will remain reliant on fossil fuels without any large-scale solar or wind. Climate pollution from Virginia will make its way unchecked into the atmosphere and heat the planet pushing the sea level higher.
We know Dominion Power absolutely does not deserve a bonus collected from Virginia residents, including residents of Hampton Roads, while the utility does nothing to decrease or mitigate their dependence on burning dirty fossil fuels for energy in a way that jeopardizes the future of eastern Virginia. For the sake of the coastal places and Virginians at risk, the first step is to Stop the Rip-Off!
