It’s that time of year again – appropriations time. That time when all those great laws (or not-so-great laws) that were passed by Congress get money so that they can actually be implemented. Continue reading
Governor Kaine to Air Board: "You know what to do."
Governor Kaine has some friendly advice for the Air Board. Apparently there have been “recent reports” to the Governor necess
itating that he reiterate the “obvious parameters within which to exercise [their] authority.” This is just a little FYI, in-case-you-forgot, heads-up-on that-little-meeting coming up, right? Perhaps. Or it’s oblique intimidation, an attempt to rhetorically undercut the independence of the board by declaring his superior knowledge of the regulatory structure of the board.
And of course while the letter does not explicitly reference the Wise County plant, the close proximity to the date of the board’s vote makes its regulatory referent clear enough.
Gov. Kaine seeks to make it clear in the letter that his knowledge of the proper role and regulatory structure of the Air Board is greater than that of the board members themselves. He’ll go ahead and let the board members work from the reasonable assumption that a person (nay, a Governor!) with his knowledge of the functioning of a regulatory body should be able to predict the actions of said regulatory body with a high degree of accuracy. It follows that if the members of the board are to believe Governor Kaine does in fact understand the structure and role of the Air Board as well as he claims he does, then the decision he anticipates should be the correct one. The Governor wants to make it clear to the Air Board that they should get in line with his decision, and if they don’t they are incompetent regulators.
But surely Governor Kaine is aware that the mercury emissions alone from the Wise County plan (not to mention the C02) merit the denial of the Air Permit under the Clean Air Act. Mercury is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and young children. Mercury exposure has been linked to autism, poor attention and language skills, and other developmental problem, prompting the EPA to regulate the toxin. Dominion must meet a standard of 1.1 pounds of emissions per year, but the Wise County plant is in gross violation of this rule and will emit 72 pounds per year.
The board should stick to their guns and not let Governor Kaine intimidate them. Continue reading
Senator Jim Webb stands up to Dominion on behalf of the little guy
Senator Jim Webb displayed his strong leadership and courageous approach to politics this morning. He wrote a formal letter to the SCC opposing Dominion’s proposed rate hikes, saying “In this time of economic uncertainty, an increase in energy costs could compel individuals and families to choose between putting food on their table and paying their energy bill.”
As a Vice-President prospect, this is a heartening development. Sen. Webb is willing to take on one of the most powerful energy corporations in his own state. Dominion’s influence in Virginia politics is systemic, including as a top donor to Governor Kaine. That former boxer, Sen. Webb, is willing to wade into the fray and challenge Dominion’s power is a testament to his commitment to social justice.
With $4 gas prices squeezing rural US, Virginians are faced with rising gas prices on one side and higher electricity costs on the other; oil and coal are rapidly becoming energy sources of the past. Why should Virginians, who are willing to start moving toward cleaner energy, shell out money to support Dominion’s addiction to dirty energy? Dominion needs to start moving toward cleaner energy, create opportunities for green jobs, and make investments in energy efficiency. By starting to make investments in clean energy, not coal, Dominion has the potential of creating over 336,000 of good, local, green jobs that will help move Virginia’s economy into the future.
Continue reading
Climate Activism in our Nation's Capital
There’s never been a better time to be involved in climate activism. With the federal government finally talking about climate legislation (well, sort of) and diverse groups joining the fight from different angles, the momentum behind the movement is definitely growing – but that doesn’t mean that that it’s time to rest on our laurels.
This is why I’m so excited that there’s a ton happening right here in Washington DC this summer. Continue reading
Strike Out Exxon at Nationals Park…and get a free ticket!
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| Strike Exxon Out of Nationals Park. Volunteer>> |
Do you want to have fun protesting global warming this summer? Do you want to feel like you’re making a difference despite your busy schedule? Want to do all this AND get a free ticket to a Nationals game?
Then we have you covered. Join us this summer as we protest ExxonMobil’s presence at DC’s new “green” ball park by passing out literature outside the stadium. Why protest? Because ExxonMobil is the single biggest contributor to global warming of any corporation. Period. And because the oil giant is the dominant advertiser at DC’s new LEED-certified ballpark.
Learn more at www.strikeoutexxon.org!
Join us starting on June 20th to creatively protest ExxonMobil’s dominant advertising presence at the new “green” ball park. Plus, the first five volunteers for any home game will get a free ticket! Sign up by contacting volunteer coordinator Lisa Lincoln at lisa@chesapeakeclimate.org.
Virginia Business Leaders: Proposed Wise County Coal-Fired Power Plant 'Unwise,' Bad For Business
If Gov. Kaine wanted to find allies in the fight against the coal plant in Wise County, it wouldn’t be hard. Business leaders from across the state issued a press release today opposing the Wise County coal plant. Citing the SCC’s finding that that operating the Wise County Coal plant would cause a net loss of 1,476 jobs in Virginia, they conclude, “it would be bad business for Virginia to pick dirty energy over clean energy.”
As a business leader I am particularly concerned about coals impact on the communities and environment of our state. The pollution, toxic waste and carbon emissions that accompany coal extraction and burning will make Virginia a less competitive economy. Instead of investing in coal, we should be putting our money behind renewable energy projects and creating green jobs. The future of my business is dependent on a cleaner, greener and competitive economy in Virginia.
Economically, this plant just doesn’t make sense. Congress is widely expected to put a price on carbon sometime in the near future. The price of coal Continue reading
Last Chance to Stop Dominion's permits
CCAN and our partners are organizing a couple days of activities on June 23-24 in Wise County around the next Air Board meeting. Folks from all across Virginia will be coming down to show their support for clean air in Wise County and to testify against Dominion’s proposed coal-burning plant. This is HUGE. It’s the final permit between Dominion and their no-good, dirty scoundrel of a coal-fired power plant.
The power is in the hands of the bureaucracy right now. As a citizen’s board, the Air Board has the power to reject Dominion’s permit and stop construction. They could also stall on the permit because the board is not currently at full capacity
Clean coal!
Those geniuses on the other side of the pond have figured out how to clean coal!
Check out more at the Coal hole… Continue reading
Video: Power Vote!
Young people have launched a new campaign to engage over 1 million youth climate voters this Fall! Go to www.powervote.org
Virginia beaches vs. political will
Washington Post reporter, David Fahrenthold, writes about a new report by the National Wildlife Federation in the news today. It paints a shockingly stark picture of the fate of our beloved beaches thanks to global warming–that the region could lose more than half of the beaches along its ocean coasts. Fifty-eight percent of the region’s beaches could completely disappear due to sea level rise caused by global warming. Read the report summary here>>
This report comes out as we enter into a new phase of our campaign to stop the coal-burning plant in Wise County. Kaine is about to appoint two new members of the Air Board, a body which reviews permits for polluting facilities. There are no requirements for appointment; merely that a “significant portion of their income within the previous two years” not come from the businesses they regulate. ”The term Continue reading