New Documents Shed Light on Dominion’s Misleading “Peaker Plant” Plan

New Documents Shed Light on Dominion’s Misleading “Peaker Plant” Plan

Documents Suggest Dominion Plans to Run Chesterfield Power Plant Far More Than “Peaker” Status Would Imply

Proposal Aligns with Youngkin Energy Plan, Undercutting VA Climate Goals

RICHMOND, VA—Dominion Energy recently submitted an air pollution permit application for its proposed “Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center” (CERC) that includes information suggesting it would generate far more emissions than its supposed “peaker plant” status would suggest. Environmental groups say that the company is taking advantage of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Energy Plan in order to build unnecessary new fossil-fuel infrastructure that will burden ratepayers for years and contribute to the escalating climate crisis. 

Dominion Energy’s proposed plant would build four new gas generators totaling 1,000 MW of nameplate capacity, even as they are beholden to state law that mandates a move to 100% clean electricity. The company claims that it will be necessary as the state transitions to renewable energy, repeatedly referring to the project as a “peaker” plant.

Yet this may be a misnomer. Peaker plants are commonly defined as power plants that run less than 10% of the time. They are intended to turn on and off quickly to meet spikes in electricity demand. Yet Dominion’s permit calls for plans to operate each of the four turbines for 3240 hours — which is the equivalent of 135 full 24-hour days, or 37% of the year.

The Youngkin Administration’s Department of Environmental Quality will report on the Chesterfield plant to the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board on September 13.

“The proposal for this plant makes clear that Dominion has thrown their weight behind Governor Youngkin’s regressive energy plan, and they have intentionally or unintentionally misled the communities closest to the pollution,” said Victoria Higgins, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “The Chesterfield plant is nothing more than an excuse to build another expensive capital-intensive fossil fuel project. Dominion’s ratepayers, who will be on the hook for this project, deserve the truth about this massive polluter.”

Governor Youngkin is also continuing forward on his agenda to illegally remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a highly popular program to reduce climate pollution and fund climate adaptation. Youngkin’s move was approved by the Air Board earlier this year.

The proposed pollution output will be 2,213,100 tons of CO2 equivalent, a full 13% increase in Dominion’s total emissions in its entire service territory—including North Carolina. Such a plan is in line with Governor Youngkin’s backwards Energy Plan for Virginia at the same time as it undercuts President Biden’s national climate goals of reducing greenhouse gasses 50% by 2030.

“This community has endured close to 80 years of air and water pollution associated with Dominion’s recently retired coal plant,” said Nicole Martin, President of the Chesterfield NAACP.  “They don’t deserve to be burdened with another polluting fossil fuel power plant in their backyard when alternatives exist.”

“We just experienced the hottest summer in human history, and Dominion Energy is proposing to double its climate pollution over the next 25 years,” said Glen Besa, a resident of Chesterfield County.  “This methane gas power plant is Dominion’s down payment on an investment in climate chaos. Dominion Energy’s CEO, Bob Blue, is clearly putting greed and short term corporate profits over the well being of our children, of future generations.”

The key section, from the Project Emissions Summary of the permit application (page 3-1):

Potential emissions for the SCCTs [Simple-Cycle Combustion Turbine] are presented for each annual operating scenario based on each SCCT operating for 3,240 hours per year of normal operation including 750 hours per year firing fuel oil. The SCCTs will be equipped with SCR and oxidation catalyst to control NOx, CO, and VOC emissions. Additionally, potential emissions include emissions based on each SCCT operating for 500 SUSD events which equates to an additional 1,500 hr/yr of operation for all four SCCTs during SUSD events.

Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a cornerstone of Biden’s climate strategy, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 through investments into renewable energy technologies, comprising the majority of his climate goals. In fact, the IRA provides a new tax credit for stand-alone battery storage, which, when paired with utility-scale wind and solar, leads to electricity 2.5 times less expensive than that provided by “best case” peaker plant.

The Chesterfield Gas Plant proposal not only flies in the face of Biden’s climate objectives but also contradicts the trajectory of progress needed to combat climate change effectively. This plant is emblematic of Governor Youngkin’s misguided pro-fossil fuel energy policies, which appear to have been crafted to cater to a national Republican base but are out of step with Virginia voters, who are calling for climate solutions. Polling shows an overwhelming majority of Virginia voters support staying in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, including a plurality of Republicans. Governor Youngkin has attempted to pull the state out of the program, a move that is currently being challenged in court.

#   #   #

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with climate change in the Chesapeake Bay region. For over 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and beyond.

Contact: 
Victoria Higgins, Virginia Director, victoria@chesapeakeclimate.org, 201-937-7017
KC Chartrand, Communications Director, kc@chesapeakeclimate.org, 240-620-7144

All your questions about going electric in DC — answered! 

All your questions about going electric in DC — answered!

DC residents can lower their utility bills and make their homes safer and cleaner! 

The Inflation Reduction Act act provides money to states to pay for home electrification. Starting as soon as fall 2023, DC will be using this money to pay for complete home electrification for low income homeowners, provide some assistance to those with higher incomes, and to provide renters with rebates for electric appliances. Beyond this, DC has additional funding available through “Solar For All” and the “Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program” (LIHEAP). 

The most important thing you can do right now is sign up with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to be contacted about free home electrification programs as soon as they become available. 

Have questions about how you can go electric in DC for less? We have the answers! While some solutions listed below are income-dependent, others are for all income levels, so read on to see what works for you. 

Q: I already have trouble affording my electric and gas bills. How can I start saving money right now? 

A: Once you apply for LIHEAP (Low income home energy assistance program) it will opt you in to Solar for All community solar, which acts as a discount on your electric bill. You can also apply for the Weatherization Assistance Program and/or the Emergency Mechanical Assistance Program. These won’t make your home electric, but they can help save you money. Weatherization will also help the environment. 

Q: Are there any other programs you would recommend to improve my home? 

A: The DC Partnership for Healthy Homes can help you fix in-home health hazards if you income qualify. Check their web page for the specific problems they can help with.

Eligible households include:

  • Children with severe and poorly controlled asthma;
  • Children less than 6 years old with a blood lead level of concern; and
  • District residents with a child less than 6 or a pregnant household member, whose home contains health and safety threats.

Q: How can I sign up to save money using solar energy? A: The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU)’s Community Solar or Solar for All programs may be able to reduce your utility bills and help the environment at no cost to you. Fill out their form and their expert customer service staff will contact you. [something about community solar for renters?

If qualified, you will be able to upgrade your natural gas HVAC system to energy-efficient equipment that will save you energy and money, including a smart thermostat, electric heat pump, and electric heat pump water heater, where applicable. All who qualify must be District homeowners or renters living in single-family homes with 4 units or less, meet the same income limits above for the Solar for All Program, and your home must have an existing natural gas heating or water heating system.

I don’t qualify for Solar for All. Can I still get solar panels? 

Of course. Find a list of contractors at the bottom of this page.  

DC offers Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) for solar energy generation. These can be traded or sold, in effect earning you dividends for providing green energy. Because of this, private companies may offer to install solar panels for free (and take the SRECs) or,if you purchase the panels yourself, you will likely get a monthly SREC payment. Please consult this guide for more detailed information. 

Remember, companies get paid by the panel, and may try to see you panels that are not situated to optimally generate electricity.  A reputable company will recommend the panels that can make electricity effectively, not just cover any available space with panels. 

Q: I want to electrify my home as soon as possible! What can I do using my own money? 

A: There are three first steps you can choose from: 

  • Use the energy star website to find a home energy audit contractor. The contractor will assess your home energy usage and can recommend next electrification steps.
  • Have an electrician come to your house and install plugs that can handle an electric stove, water heater, dryer, and most importantly, heat pump. That way, when your appliances break, you can quickly install electric ones.
  • If your appliances are not likely to break soon, finance a purchase of solar panels, and use the money you save to pay for home electrification. 
What are some useful guides to the entire home electrification process? 

Federal court stays Mountain Valley Pipeline’s biological opinion again

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit issued a stay of the biological opinion and incidental take statement under the Endangered Species Act for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The court’s order staying these authorizations means that construction should not move forward along any portion of the 304-mile pipeline route. The federal appeals court has already twice rejected the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s prior authorizations for the pipeline project, finding that the agency failed to adequately analyze the project’s environmental context when assessing the detrimental impacts to the Roanoke logperch and the candy darter, a species on the brink of extinction.

Yesterday, the federal court also granted a stay of the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to allow the pipeline to be constructed through the Jefferson National Forest while the court considers The Wilderness Society’s challenge to that decision. The Wilderness Society is represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center.

The motion to stay the biological opinion was filed by lawyers from the Sierra Club, Appalachian Mountain Advocates and Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of Appalachian Voices, Wild Virginia, Indian Creek Watershed Association, Preserve Bent Mountain, Preserve Giles County, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity. Mountain Valley Pipeline and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service argued to the court that it lacked jurisdiction to issue the stay under provisions inserted into the Fiscal Responsibility Act about the pipeline. In issuing the stay, the 4th Circuit appears to have rejected that argument.

The following are statements from the petitioners:

Statement by Virginia Policy Director Peter Anderson of Appalachian Voices:
“This stay is necessary to prevent the irreparable harm that would be caused by allowing Mountain Valley Pipeline to resume construction while important legal issues are decided. We are pleased that the 4th Circuit seems to recognize that Congress overreached with its Mountain Valley Pipeline provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act.”

Statement by Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous:
“Congress’s unprecedented end run around the courts attempted to forgo proper checks and balances and declare the sinking ship that is the MVP a winner. This, as we know, was wrong from the start. Congress cannot mandate that federal regulators throw caution to the wind — environmental laws are more than just mere suggestions, and must be adhered to. We expect MVP to halt all construction along the entire route.”

Statement of Anne Havemann, General Counsel, Chesapeake Climate Action Network:
“This ill-conceived pipeline poses serious threats to animals, plants, and people. This is the third time this court has found fatal flaws in Mountain Valley’s Endangered Species Act permit. Regulators that are supposed to protect the environment have once again failed and construction should be halted along the entire route.”

Statement of David Sligh, Wild Virginia’s Conservation Director:
“All we’ve ever asked is that our basic environmental protection laws, including the Endangered Species Act, be enforced. Federal officials have not yet lived up to that basic requirement on this project and the courts have had to step in. Construction on this harmful project must be ended now. ”

Statement of Jared Margolis, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity:
“This decision shows that corporations with deep pockets and political influence aren’t above the law. The court stepped up to protect imperiled wildlife and sensitive streams from a disastrous project that should never be built.”

###

Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

Environmental and Community Groups Challenge Effort to Throw Out Mountain Valley Pipeline Lawsuit

RICHMOND, VA — Late Monday, environmental and community organizations filed a response opposing efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice and Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, to dismiss the environmental groups’ pending challenge to the latest biological opinion and incidental take statement under the Endangered Species Act for the ill-advised Mountain Valley Pipeline.

Also on Monday, the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of The Wilderness Society filed a response in another MVP case opposing motions to dismiss a challenge to authorizations for the project to cross the Jefferson National Forest.

The motions to dismiss the groups’ challenges follow the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which seeks to expedite the nonessential Mountain Valley Pipeline, enshrining congressional overreach over the courts and setting a dangerous precedent that could encourage future congressional action to force through other controversial fossil fuel projects.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit has already twice rejected the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s prior authorizations for the pipeline project, finding that the agency failed to adequately analyze the project’s environmental context when assessing the detrimental impacts to the Roanoke logperch and the candy darter, a species on the brink of extinction.

The FRA has led MVP to gear up to resume construction along the pipeline’s route.

The response was filed by lawyers from the Sierra Club, Appalachian Mountain Advocates and Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of Wild Virginia, Appalachian Voices, Indian Creek Watershed Association, Preserve Bent Mountain, Preserve Giles County, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity.

“Appalachian communities, water resources, and species should not be subject to political whims and unprecedented congressional interference,” said Peter Anderson, Virginia policy director for Appalachian Voices. “Courts must retain their power and responsibility to review our environmental protections from dangerous projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline.”

“Whatever happened to checks and balances?” asked Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative Caroline Hansley. “Congress should never have overextended its powers to try to tell the courts how to do their jobs. When communities, climate, and habitats are at risk, there is just too much at stake.”

“In essence, Congress and the president have attempted to nullify the Endangered Species Act and the rights of Americans to be involved in their own government decisions — all to give a special deal to profit-making corporations,” said David Sligh, Wild Virginia’s conservation director. “This does violence to the Constitution, and we cannot accept it without challenge.”

“This is not a problem of Congress putting its thumb on the scale in favor of the government; instead Congress is attempting to throw out the scale entirely and unilaterally declare the government the winner,” said Anne Havemann, general counsel for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Together, we have been fighting MVP for eight years and we won’t stop now.”

“Speaking on behalf of the endangered candy darter that once thrived in our creeks, something just smells fishy (and unconstitutional) about Congress passing a law that attempts to snuff out a valid lawsuit against a government agency simply by declaring the government the winner,” said Indian Creek Watershed Association President Howdy Henritz.

“Mountain Valley Pipeline is an environmental disaster that’s already caused significant harm to sensitive streams and imperiled wildlife,” said Jared Margolis, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “There’s no way this pipeline could ever comply with bedrock environmental laws. Cronies in Congress are attempting to force this project through, ignoring the harms and giving a free ride to corporate interests. Congress should never have tried to undermine the court’s authority, and the pipeline should not be built.”

“Legislators seemed to forget that front and center of our ‘national interest’ is the social, physical and economic well being of our people — many of whom are environmental justice communities in the path of MVP’s aging pipe,” Roberta Bondurant of Preserve Bent Mountain, a local member group of the POWHR Coalition, said, “If ushered forward, MVP will continue to threaten our drinking water, our ever more fragile environment, and will pose sure and continuing risks to Appalachian life, limb and property — and this doesn’t speak to the global impacts of MVP methane. We refuse to be governed by the gas industry. We hold fast to our constitutional right to be heard.”

“From the beginning, MVP was rammed through, with federal agencies bowing to political pressure,” said SELC President and Executive Director DJ Gerken. “Now Congress has bowed to the developer’s interest too and tried to force the courts to get in line. With this challenge we, along with The Wilderness Society and other environmental and community groups, are standing up for our communities, our forests, and our right to seek justice from an independent court system. No one is above the law and the independent court system is the essential protector of our democracy. We continue to fight because it’s too dangerous not to.”

“Mountain Valley could not build their pipeline in compliance with the law, so they appealed to Congress to interfere with the courts, skirting both our legal system and Constitution,” said Chase Huntley, VP of Strategy and Policy at The Wilderness Society. “The MVP rider buried in the Fiscal Responsibility Act attempts to ram through the pipeline, forcing it onto communities who have spoken out against its devastating impacts for nearly a decade. Because bedrock environmental laws stood in the pipeline’s path, Mountain Valley convinced Congress to reach beyond its powers and decide in Mountain Valley’s favor, circumventing the courts. We’re fighting to make sure our challenge to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management’s approvals for the pipeline to cross the Jefferson National Forest has its rightful day in court.”

###

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

###

Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

CCAN Calls Out Biden Administration’s Missed Opportunity for Climate Change Migrants

CCAN Calls Out Biden Administration’s Missed Opportunity for Climate Change Migrants

Washington, DC –  Last week, the Biden Administration did the bare minimum for climate change-affected migrant families, announcing the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Today, as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals holds a final hearing on Ramos v. Mayorkas, countless families affected by natural disasters fueled by climate change will remain in the shadows without legal protections from deportation. 

Statement from Quentin Scott, Federal Director for CCAN: 

“While the Biden Administration’s decision allows hundreds of thousands of TPS holders to breathe a sigh of relief, CCAN is disappointed in the Administration for not re-designating El Salvador, Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and excluding Guatemala, Pakistan, and other countries affected by climate change-impacted natural disasters. By linking climate change to Temporary Protected Status, we acknowledge the interdependence of environmental challenges and the humanitarian assistance required for affected communities. 

More than 15,000 CCAN supporters and other concerned residents nationwide stood up in support of protecting climate change migrants. The Administration passed up a moment to show real leadership and courage for climate change migrants –and now the fight for #TPSJustice and comprehensive immigration reform continues. TPS provides essential protection and support to climate change migrants, enabling them to rebuild their lives and contribute to their new communities.”
Quentin Scott
Federal Director, CCAN

Climate change migration is commonly associated with the future submergence of coastal cities; however, the truth is, people are already being forced to abandon their homes due to climate change. Thousands of Pakistani migrants displaced by recent deadly floods, which have left a third of the country underwater and nearly half a million people displaced, did not receive a TPS designation. 

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) provides vital protection for climate change migrants, granting them temporary legal status while residing in the U.S. However, the recent decision only benefits 337,000 climate migrant families who arrived by 2018, disregarding those who fled more recent climate disasters. 

By excluding these individuals, the Biden administration exposes them to the same crises that TPS recipients are shielded from, which is illogical. This missed opportunity highlights a lack of true leadership and courage. The pursuit for #TPSJustice persists, and President Biden can still take action by redesignating today.

# # #

Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

Biden’s TPS extension falls short of protecting climate migrants

Biden’s TPS extension falls short of protecting climate migrants

Biden’s TPS extension falls short of protecting climate migrants

Written by Nina Brown

Climate change could displace more than a billion people around the world by 2050. As global warming persists, CCAN has recently teamed up with other activist organizations to urge the White House to guarantee the United States as a safe haven for climate migrants to reconstruct their lives. Together, we sponsored a nationwide petition that received over 15,100 signatures nationwide in just a few days, urging the Biden Administration to redesignate temporary protected status (TPS) for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua and designate TPS for Pakistan. 

Climate change migration is commonly associated with the future submergence of coastal cities like New Orleans. However, the truth is, people are already being forced to abandon their homes due to climate change – factors such as landslides and the destructive consequences of drought on crop production are driving individuals to seek refuge elsewhere.  Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua are all located in what has become known as the ‘Dry Corridor’, an area especially vulnerable to droughts.The intensification of droughts has resulted in crop failure, heightened food insecurity, and urgent migration in pursuit of improved opportunities. Similarly in Nepal, flash floods caused by the warming of the Himalayas have forced entire villages to migrate. These are some of the hardest hit nations by climate change and many people turned to the U.S. in hopes to rebuild their lives. 

What’s Being Done

TPS offers crucial safeguarding to climate change migrants by providing them with temporary legal status. Recognizing the need for urgent action, CCAN worked with other activist groups to mobilize support for redesignating TPS with a petition and rally led by CASA outside the White House. We thank our petition signers for affirming that these people must be protected from deportation, family separation and further environmental disasters. 

The Biden Administration seems to be listening! They just responded by extending TPS for certain immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua—just a few of the countries disproportionately bearing the brunt of climate change-induced disasters despite contributing the least to global warming—to stay in the United States until 2025.  

What Needs to be Done

While this recent move will let 337,000 climate migrant families continue living in the U.S., it only applies to those who arrived in the U.S. by 2018, ignoring those who fled recent climate disasters.

Additionally, it did not extend TPS to the thousands of Pakistani migrants displaced by recent deadly floods that left a third of the country underwater and nearly half a million people displaced. These individuals fled to the U.S. in hopes of the chance to rebuild their lives and deserve protection from future climate disasters. In fact, a NASA study recently found that along with flooding, heatwaves will make parts of Pakistan soon uninhabitable. That’s why CCAN is still calling for further TPS designation for Pakistan.

What You Can Do

While the Biden Administration has taken a step forward by extending Temporary Protected Status for select immigrants from climate-affected nations, it is imperative to recognize that more action is required. As we approach a potentially unprecedented refugee crisis, it is crucial to safeguard all climate migrant families in the United States: sign our petition here to protect climate change migrants.

Sign the petition today!

Dominion Energy and Governor Youngkin unite behind corporate profit grab that would bankrupt Virginians and exacerbate climate change

Dominion Energy and Governor Youngkin unite behind corporate profit grab that would bankrupt Virginians and exacerbate climate change

Richmond, VA — Yesterday, Dominion Energy published its latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which outlines a series of methods to meet energy demand in its territory. Dominion recommends making unprecedented capital expenditures that it will pass on directly to customers. Included in the IRP is a push for small modular reactors (SMRs), a new nuclear reactor prototype that costs up to $10 billion each at a nameplate capacity of 300 megawatts of electricity and is currently operational only on one floating barge in Russia. A solar facility costs 3% as much per megawatt of nameplate capacity.

The IRP also imagines eliminating mandatory retirements of coal-fired power plants – a signature piece of Virginia’s plan to move to 100% clean energy – and expanding the use of gas-fired plants. Many case scenarios suggest Dominion abandon the clean energy goals outlined in the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act. All iterations of the IRP assume that Virginia will exit the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by 2024, despite a lack of legal authority for Virginia to do so without the approval of the legislature.

The changes outlined in Dominion’s IRP would contribute directly to global warming and force Virginia to give up its position as a national leader on climate. Reckless capital expenditures on unproven energy technology and rolling back of climate progress are also key provisions of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 2022 Energy Plan. He issued a laudatory press release late Monday night, raising the specter of a dangerous new alliance between Dominion and the Governor, who sparred over utility regulation this past legislation session.

Victoria Higgins, the Virginia Director for CCAN, stated:  

“We should recognize this unholy union between multi-millionaire Governor Youngkin and Dominion for what it is: a corporate profit grab that would bankrupt Virginians and exacerbate climate change. The state can meet demand without compromising our clean energy goals or forcing Virginians to choose between energy and food. Suggesting new fracked gas infrastructure in 2023 is patently absurd.”

Dominion Energy, a regulated monopoly, is responsible for its own energy planning and has historically steered towards large capital expenditures that provide the company maximum profit. As of February 2023, Virginians rank 8th in the country for highest energy bills.

Contact:
Victoria Higgins, 201-937-7017,  vhiggins@chesapeakeclimate.org
KC Chartrand, 240-620-7144, kc@chesapeakeclimate.org

# # #

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For more than 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Position Announcement: Virginia Organizing Internships

Chesapeake Climate Action Network is hiring two part-time summer interns to assist our organizing team in Virginia.

An organizing internship is a terrific opportunity to develop your skills in outreach, developing leaders, and building grassroots power to fight the climate crisis. Interns will educate the community, mentor and train new activists, and urge faster and more equitable change to address the climate crisis. The ideal candidates are energized by empowering others and are looking to put their creativity to work. We are hiring two paid positions: one in Northern Virginia and one in Hampton Roads. 

About Us 

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is a mission-driven non-profit dedicated to making a better world by addressing the climate crisis and systemic inequities in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. For 20 years, we have run winning campaigns that have transformed our region. We have banned fracking in Maryland, passed the strongest clean energy legislation in the American South, created the first in the nation Building Energy Performance Standards in Washington, D.C., and helped pass the national Inflation Reduction Act. Every year, our work brings us closer to the day when our needs are met without fossil fuels poisoning people or the planet in the process.  

We are deepening and expanding our base of grassroots activists throughout Virginia. Our Northern Virginia local chapter–CCAN NoVA New Leaf–is advancing an electrification campaign and a ‘reconnection’ campaign. In Hampton Roads, we are educating and mobilizing our neighbors to fight the Virginia Reliability Project pipeline, which is endangering our environment and communities.

What You Will Do

  • Grassroots Organizing Issue Education
    • Speak at public forums or partner events on grassroots organizing, including ways to join CCAN and theories of change.
    • Table at community events to identify and recruit potential supporters and volunteers.
  • Content Creation & Written Advocacy Work
    • Write Letters to the Editor regarding climate issues and priority campaigns to raise community awareness and promote action.
    • Contribute to CCAN’s blog and social media platforms to engage and activate our supporter base.
  • Grassroots Community-Building
    • Participate in community outreach, including in-person canvassing, phonebanking, texting, and virtual events like online town halls.
    • Gather comments on critical issues or policies from members of impacted communities. 
    • Strengthen grassroots efforts to protect the most vulnerable and marginalized communities that are under threat from fossil fuel expansion and climate change.

Qualifications 

  • Commitment to environmental justice and solving the climate crisis.
  • Dedication to justice, equity, and inclusion and amplifying the voices of those most impacted by extreme extraction and the effects of climate change, including Indigenous Americans, Black and Latino communities, low and moderate-income communities, rural communities, and struggling farm families.
  • Comfortable engaging members of the public and asking people to get involved.
  • Creative ideas for events and actions to engage volunteers.
  • Proficient in speaking and writing in English. Spanish proficiency is a plus! 

The Details

Interns will work from home and can expect to travel locally for community outreach events at least 2x per week. In Northern Virginia, most events will take place in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William, and Loudoun. In Hampton Roads, most events will take place in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Chesapeake, Hampton, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk. 

Mileage or public transportation reimbursement is available for all CCAN-required travel except travel to and from the office (commute). The Northern Virginia intern reports to the Northern Virginia Coordinator. The Hampton Roads intern reports to the Hampton Roads Coordinator.

Compensation is $16.10 per hour for 10 hours per week during the summer over a period of 12 weeks. Exact schedule will be determined based on the intern’s availability.

To Apply

Please complete the Google form application to answer short questions and submit a resume. We will accept applications until the position is filled. Our target start date for this position is June 12, 2023. 

CCAN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

U.S. Forest Service lets Mountain Valley Pipeline rip through Jefferson National Forest – CCAN protests

Richmond, VA — Today, the U.S. Forest Service published its Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), a proposed 303-mile fracked gas pipeline through Virginia and West Virginia that would contribute the equivalent of 26 coal plants’ worth of carbon emissions. The FSEIS allows MVP to cross 3.5 pristine miles of the Jefferson National Forest and represents the company’s third attempt to receive approval for the controversial crossing. MVP suffered another blow last week when a crucial water permit for construction in West Virginia was thrown out. 

Outcry from impacted communities in Appalachia has been immense. Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) supporters submitted more than 4,000 comments over the last year in opposition to the pipeline during comment periods for numerous permits, including several hundred during the Forest Service comment period. Moreover, construction of large, new fossil fuel projects is incompatible with both national climate goals and global commitments, including President Joe Biden’s pledge to reduce emissions by over 50% by 2030.

Anne Havemann, the General Counsel for CCAN, stated: 

“We are gravely disappointed in the Forest Service’s decision to allow the Mountain Valley Pipeline to rip through the cherished Jefferson National Forest. With this decision, the Forest Service is not fulfilling its mission to ‘sustain the health of the nation’s forests’ so as to ‘meet the needs of present and future generations.’ Present and future generations need a pristine environment and a stable climate, not a fracked-gas pipeline that destroys forests, pollutes waterways, and exacerbates global warming. CCAN is committed to ensuring that no gas ever flows through the Mountain Valley Pipeline.”

In the last several weeks, MVP has had permits both vacated and issued by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Industry analysts are now skeptical of a 2023 in-service date. Federal “permitting reform” to speed fossil fuel project approval is stagnant, and new legal challenges have been mounted against MVP’s recently reissued Biological Opinion by CCAN and partners. 

Contact:
Anne Havemann, 240-630-2146,  anne@chesapeakeclimate.org
KC Chartrand, 240-620-7144, kc@chesapeakeclimate.org

# # #

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY: COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN

DESCRIPTION

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) works with partners across the Chesapeake region to promote renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and stop the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. Our campaigns focus on passing legislation that will dramatically reduce climate change pollution across the region, while cleaning up our air, improving the health of our communities, and creating good-paying new jobs.

We’re looking for smart, talented students for summer internships to stand up and take climate action. 

We’re the largest and oldest grassroots group fighting for bold and just solutions to climate change in the Chesapeake region of Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland. We’ve put a stop to new coal plants in Virginia, brought 100% clean power to Washington DC, and fully banned fracking in Maryland.

OUR CAMPAIGNS

In 2023, we’re still fighting: to stop massive fracked-gas pipelines across the farms and forests of Virginia, to bring a Climate Stimulus to Maryland, and to enact strong climate action at the federal level.

We and our supporters surrounding the nation’s capital are going to keep building the powerfully diverse grassroots climate movement our region needs – building local resistance, raising our voices, and taking concrete action.

OUR COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP

Interns at CCAN work side-by-side with our experienced communications experts to create compelling content and run impactful media campaigns across our region. They gain valuable experience for careers in the communications and media industries. 

SPECIFICALLY, YOUR TASKS MAY INCLUDE

  • Learning the ins-and-outs of managing media lists and reaching out to reporters.
  • Drafting social media posts using brand templates, web graphics, factsheets, and/or analyzing social media content.
  • Working in coordination with the comms manager to use WordPress to make minor content edits to our website ensuring content is relevant and timely.
  • Making edits to our events calendar to keep supporters in the know with all CCAN happenings
  • Conceptualizing, editing, and/or drafting blog posts and language for the website.
  • Assisting our  fundraising team with the creation of digital assets and ad materials for our annual “EV Raffle”
  • And having an amazing opportunity to learn what it’s like to work at an organization that climate activist Bill McKibben has called the “best regional climate organization in the world.”

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

  • Passion to learn more about climate policy; familiarity with climate issues is a plus.
  • Commitment to environmental justice and amplifying the voices of those being victimized by extreme extraction and the effects of climate change.
  • A keen eye for new communications platforms and tools 
  • Strong organizational skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal skills, and an ability to share important information in creative, attention-grabbing, and humorous messages.
  • A quick learner.
  • A good understanding of social media spheres.
  • Experience with graphic design.
  • Strong dedication to justice, equity, and inclusion. 

DETAILS

This position is based in CCAN’s Takoma Park office. The CCAN team is currently working on a hybrid schedule (Tuesday/Thursday in the office, Monday/Wednesday/Friday remote). There will be occasional opportunities to work throughout the region. Mileage reimbursement is available for all CCAN-required travel except travel to and from the office (commute). The intern reports to the Communications Director. 

Compensation is $16.10 per hour for 20 hours per week during the summer over a period of 12 weeks. Exact schedule will be determined based on the intern’s availability.

TO APPLY

To apply, fill out the following Google Form Application, where you will be prompted to upload your resume, cover letter and a writing sample. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity: CCAN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.