Clean Cars Passes in MD 2007 Legislative Session

The Clean Cars Act has been approved with no significant amendments by both the Maryland House and the Senate and is virtually guaranteed to pass out of Conference Committee this legislative session, which ends on April 9th. The Clean Cars Act regulates carbon dioxide emissions from all cars sold in Maryland and ensures that the state will greatly reduce its contribution to global warming. Continue reading

Gov. Kaine Announces Amendments to Dominion Energy bill

Press Release

p>March 27, 2007

Gov. Kaine Fails to Significantly Alter Pro-Global Warming Bill
Amendments Do Not Mandate Any Renewable Energy Development
 
March 27, 2007 — Governor Kaine yesterday announced his amendments to a bill put forth by Dominion Virginia Power that re-regulates Virginia’s electricity supply. The amendments fail to mandate any renewable energy development in Virginia.
 
“The Governor’s amendments do not significantly alter this deeply flawed legislation,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action. “The bill remains a Dominion monopoly bill that does nothing to mandate the use and production of renewable energy. Under this bill, both consumers and the environment lose.”
 
Despite Governor Kaine’s amendments, the bill still favors new generation that will substantially increase global warming pollution. The amendments fail to level the playing field for energy efficiency, the cheapest, cleanest and fastest resource available to Virginians.
 
Virginia lawmakers overwhelming approved the bill during the 2007 legislative session that ended February 24. Dominion’s bill allowed for billions of dollars in guaranteed cost recovery for building new coal and nuclear plants as well as the construction of a power line that will cut straight through Northern Virginia.
 
A study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked Virginia last nationally in per capita spending on energy efficiency programs. As a result of this bill, Virginia will continue to lag as one of the worst in the nation in terms of achieving substantial energy conservation and smarter management of electricity demand.
 
A coalition of environmental and consumer groups, including the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), have been strongly urging Governor Kaine to amend or veto the bill since its passage in late February. Thanks, in large part, to the coalition’s proposed amendments, clean energy solutions are finally a part of the energy policy debate, but no mandates for renewable energy use and generation were enacted this year. 
 
“The fight to move Virginia into a 21st century energy economy is just beginning,” said Don Giecek, Virginia Director of CCAN. “Virginia needs smart energy solutions that focus on efficiency and renewable energy first. Virginians are disappointed that Governor Kaine has missed this important opportunity to lead them toward a clean energy future.”

DC Council Introduces Clean Car Bill

Today the Clean Cars Bill was introduced in the DC City Council by At-Large council member Phil Mendelson, Ward 6 council member Tommy Wells and Ward 3 council member Mary Cheh. The bill addresses automobile pollution that greatly contributes to global warming and human health problems such as asthma while also strengthening the current standards for automobile emissions that form smog and carcinogens like benzene. Continue reading