Vote for Your Fossil Fool

Unroll the green carpet, strap on an eco-gown, and let’s get voting!

Voting for the first annual “Foolies“- the official awards of Fossil Fools Day- has begun.

Vote in the online poll and this year’s winners will get a “special” delivery of their awards, all captured on video of course. Vote today!

Nominees for this year’s top prize include the CEOs of General Motors, Bank of America, ExxonMobil and Dynegy, as well as the premier of Alberta, Canada.

The “Foolies” recognize the world’s biggest contributors to our devastating global addiction to fossil fuels. The awards feature five different categories: Fossil Fool of the Year, Outstanding Performance in Corporate Greenwashing, Most Inauspicious Newcomer, Lifetime Achievement and Biggest Human Toll.

The great Commonwealth of Virginia is being represented in Most Inauspicious Newcomer category. Thomas Farrell, CEO of Dominion Power, has been nominated for the company’s plans to build a new coal-fired power plant in Virginia instead of developing clean energy. Dominion intends to use $1.8 billion of Virginian ratepayer dollars to build this “clean coal” power plant, claiming an empty two acre lot and a pipe make it carbon capture compatible!

Concerned citizens and groups opposing Dominion’s plans to build the coal fired plant are hoping to present Thomas Farrell with the award on Fossil Fool’s Day but they need your help! Cast your ballot for Farrell today.

After you’re done voting, search for a local Fossil Fools Day action targeting your favorite Fossil Fool.

If there are no actions currently scheduled, get some friends together and plan an action targeting your community or campus’s greatest Fossil Fool. Register today!

MD Student Lobby Day a Huge Success!

Last week over 50 students from across Maryland gathered in Annapolis to demand their elected officials make Maryland a national leader and pass the Global Warming Solutions Act. In the morning the students rallied with Governor O’Malley, received lobby training, and then stormed the halls of the state house.

One of my favorite parts of the day was when Michelle Cleveland, a University of Maryland freshman, told a crowd of cheering students at the rally, “As a young person who will live on this planet for many years to come, I feel it is crucial that we do our part to preserve it. Young people today have a strong voice and demand that we commit to addressing global warming right now, before it’s too late. We want twenty-five percent reductions by 2020. That’s what we need to preserve our future and we won’t settle for anything less!”

I had the pleasure to accompany the students on some their lobby visits. A highlight was the student lobby meeting with Delegate Dereck Davis’s Chief of staff, Jim Casen. (Del. Davis is the influential Chairperson of the House Economic Matters Committee).The students prepared for the meeting beforehand on Lawyers Mall, divided the roles between the 16 person lobbying entourage, then bristling with confidence walked to their appointment. There were so many of us excitedly packed into the little room in the Delegate’s office anxiously awaiting the Chief of Staff. The students spoke strongly of how this would boost Maryland’s economy by creating thousands of new green jobs for the state. They also testified to their personal concern for their future. Their concerns were well received when Mr. Casen told the entourage that “the Delegate is fully on board.” Success!

For more on the lobby day here is a press release written by Alicia, a Montgomery county high school student. Just download it here and send to your school newspaper.

The story doesn’t end there! Now back in district the students have been actively organizing letter writing events, call in days, and phone banks to keep the pressure on. Last night alone Towson University got 30 handwritten letters to their state delegates. Keep up the good work!

EPA: More Virginia cities and counties violate Clean Air Act

Apparently dirty air isn’t just for Northern Virginia. Under new EPA standards released today, several Virginia communities around Richmond and Hampton Roads will receive a time-honored label of “non-attainment” with the Clean Air Act. Fourteen cities and counties in Virginia are projected to be in non-attainment: Alexandria City, Arlington, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Hampton City, Hanover, Henrico, Loudoun, Madison, Prince William, Stafford, Suffolk City.

In a release today, Trip Pollard of the Southern Environmental Law Center elaborated.

“What we’re seeing is that unhealthy air is not just an urban problem anymore,” said Pollard. “Even small and mid-sized cities are going to have to tackle their air problems in order to protect the health of their citizens.”

“The fact that more cities than ever are likely to fail to meet even this standard should serve as a wake up call to all Virginians that dirty air is everyone’s problem,” said Trip Pollard.

This announcement comes at a time the state is considering permitting two new power plants, a coal-burning plant in Wise County and a natural gas plant in Buckingham county. This follows a court ruling earlier last week which would restrict mercury emission from power plants too.

Under the new standard, the metro Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia region is expected to remain in violation of the federal standard, otherwise known as being in “nonattainment.” However, the greater Richmond area and Virginia Beach as well as smaller western cities including Harrisonburg, Martinsville and Culpepper will also likely be added to the list. These areas will face deadlines to reach the new standard or risk federal sanctions including tighter smokestacks controls and the possible loss of federal highway money.

Amy Goodman to attend CCAN benefit

Amy Goodman, investigative journalist and host of Democracy Now, has confirmed as CCAN’s guest at our 2nd Annual Spring Climate Rally. The rally will be held at 7:00 p.m. on the evening of April 22 at The George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium. Additional speakers include Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners, Betsy Taylor, founder of the 1Sky campaign, Mike Tidwell and Ted Glick, of CCAN. This is will be the progressive climate event of the year!!

Ms. Goodman, who has been called the “human megaphone for the collective progressive unconscious,” has traveled the world to cover injustice from the front lines. In one instance, the Dili Massacre, she literally put her body between Timorese protesters and the Indonesian Army, who beat her and killed at least 250 of the protesters. Her documentary video and reporting on the incident sparked outrage across the world. Goodman has received dozens of awards for her work, including the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and the George Polk Award. “Going to where the silence is,” says Goodman, “that is the responsibility of a journalist: giving a voice to those who have been forgotten, forsaken, and beaten down by the powerful.”

She is now the host of Democracy Now, “the exception to the rulers.” She is known for speaking truth to power, most notably during the 2000 election when she unyieldingly questioned President Clinton for his policies on the death penalty, the Middle East and racial profiling, and other issues. Listen now>> She had Ted Glick on her show in his second month of his fast to protest inaction on climate change from Capitol Hill. Listen now>>

There will be a pre-rally reception with Ms. Goodman and other speakers for an additional cost. You will also receive free copies of Amy’s book, “Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times” and Rev. Wallis’, “The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America.”

This is an event you don’t want to miss!

Buy your tickets!

A tale of three bad amendments

Once upon a time, the Global Warming Solutions Act was merrily making its way through the Maryland General Assembly. There were minor setbacks, of course, but, obviously, things had been going much too easily. So to make life more interesting for this particular bill, its opponents have started introducing truly terrible amendments.

They are:

1. Require MDE to seek legislative approval for any action required by this bill.
This is designed to slow down the effectiveness of the bill. MDE already has the authority to initiate some new programs to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It would be a step backward to put an extra step in the process for these programs.

2. Turn the 2020 cap into a soft target.
This is the whole point of the bill: to set goals, make plans to achieve them, and implement.
Nuff said.

3. Allow any federal policy to preempt our state law.
Currently proposed federal legislation is much less comprehensive. Even if it were actually science-based, we do now want to give up the right to make our own laws dealing with pollution and other issues.

The truly scary part? Word on the street is that some of the swing voters think that these sound like *great* ideas.

We need to tell these people that a vote for any of these amendments is a vote against the bill:

Sen. John Astle (District 30) – (410) 841-3578, (301) 858-3578
Roy Dyson (District 29) – (410) 841-3673, (301) 858-3673
Ed DeGrange (District 32) – (410) 841-3593, (301) 858-3593
Nathaniel Exum (District 24) – (410) 841-3148, (301) 858-3148
Edward J. Kasemeyer (District 12) – (410) 841-3653, (301) 858-3653
Delores Kelley (District 10) – (410) 841-3606, (301) 858-3606
Kathy Klausmeier (District 8 – (410) 841-3620, (301) 858-3620
Rona Kramer (District 14) – (410) 841-3625, (301) 858-3625
Doug Peters (District 23) – (410) 841-3631, (301) 858-3631
Jim Robey (District 13) – (410) 841-3572, (301) 858-3572
Norman Stone (District 6) – (410) 841-3587, (301) 858-3587

If you’re feeling action-oriented, make a few phone calls today. I really don’t want to start working to kill GWSA because it turned so bad it wasn’t worth passing.

Unity Woods Yoga Center hosting CCAN benefit

schumacherAttend a yoga class this Saturday and support our work!

Unity Woods Yoga Center is hosting a special event, Going Green with Yoga: A Fundraiser for Chesapeake Climate Action Network THIS Saturday, March 15. John Schumacher, internationally-known yoga teacher and owner/director of Unity Woods Yoga Center, approached us to join forces for this event to show the connectedness of a mindful yoga practice and honoring and caring for the earth. This event will focus on making a “green” step in our personal practices towards deepening our conscious intention to honor and care for the Earth as part of yoga.

Signed copies of Mike Tidwell’s latest book, Ravaging Tide, will be available for purchase. All proceeds go to Chesapeake Climate Action Network. I hope you can make it!

Location: Unity Woods Yoga, Bethesda Studio,
4853 Cordell Avenue, Suite PH7, 16th Floor, Bethesda Maryland map>>
Classes: 3:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Open House & Refreshments: 7-8 p.m.
No Pre-registration. Drop in only
Minimum Donation per Class: $20
Checks only, please! Payable to CCAN

Learn more on the Unity Woods Site!

SCC analysis – Power Plant will eliminate 1476 jobs

According to recently uncovered testimony by staff at the State Corporation Commission, the Wise County Power Plant could actually eliminate 1474 Virginia jobs and have a significant negative economic impact on the rest of the state.

“This implies that for each dollar of revenue requirement collected through Rider S will have a -$1.36 impact on economic activity elsewhere in the state economic activity elsewhere in the state. The analysis also reveals a negative impact on employment of -1476 jobs.“

Because of the huge profit Dominion will make from this plant (12.12%), money will be removed from the Virginia economy, instead being transferred to Dominion’s shareholders, who received almost 40 cents per share dividend last quarter. Quite a good deal for the shareholders. We pay for our electricity, lose jobs, and they reap the profits.

Last year Governor Kaine dispatched Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick Gottschalk to testify before teh SCC, urging them to support the plant and emphasizing that the plant “has the full support of myself and the Governor”. Will this new evidence change his mind?

Despite an agreement with the Attorney General and the SCC staff that the plant will NOT be carbon capture compatible, Dominion struck a deal to maintain the higher 12.12% profit on the $1.8 billion power plant.

UPDATE: No New Coal Resolution in Richmond

The City Council of Richmond is officially the first and only locality to kill a resolution against the Wise County coal plant. Why? Because City Council President Bill Pantele didn’t like it. In fact, Mr. Pantele went out of his way to kill this resolution.

The resolution was originally scheduled for a full council committee hearing at the beginning of February but it was postponed at the very last minute by, you guessed it, Mr. Pantele. The decision was so last minute that not even the sponsors of the resolution knew that it had been removed from the agenda until walking into the meeting. Pantele told me himself that everyone on council had been getting “a lot” of phone calls from constituents on this. Apparently the wishes of his constituents are irrelevant.

While we waited for the resolution to be rescheduled, Dominion representatives had time to meet with each member of City Council. Continue reading

A mini-update on GWSA in MD

I usually get to be pretty positive when blogging about how things are going with the MD Global Warming Solutions Act – after all, Governor O’Malley did recently publicly express his support for the bill, going so far as to ask Marylanders to rally with him to show the widespread support the bill has.

Then, I got to go to a hearing last Friday, and listen to certain members of the Environmental Matters Committee and the Economic Matters Committee (who shall remain unnamed) ask questions about global cooling, sunspots, and the possibility that global warming is really caused by a higher population of people breathing (yes, breathing).