“Miracle Ridge,” home of Bill and Lynn Limpert, is home to many important and valuable things, including countless centuries-old trees. But because it sits in the path of Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline, every single one of those trees are at risk — which is why dozens of campers have joined the Limperts for “No Pipeline Summer: A Camp to Save the Limpert’s Land.”
Just like the beautiful trees, Miracle Ridge is home to many precious memories. This is why we’re running a camp log at Miracle Ridge. Within the log, anyone has the option to write about their experiences during their stay in Miracle Ridge. Ever since the book and pen has been available to everyone, multiple people have written their valuable stories and thoughts. Just like the ones below. Join us at “No Pipeline Summer” to make your own heartwarming memories, and remember what’s at stake. If you’d like to support the camp from afar, you can donate to the Interfaith Alliance for Climate Justice and specify that you’d like your donation to go to “No Pipeline Summer.”
And read on for some of the memories campers have chosen to share. “We have plenty of pipelines and don’t need or want more. Facilitating fossil fuel distribution will speed global warming and climate change, which is already and existential threat to humanity. We need to preserve our forests and ecosystems. They have wonderful healing powers.” -Bruce Tinker
“I honor the sacred work that Bill, Lynn and Susan are doing here in Bath County. The Lord is rich and beautiful and ancient. Surely we can come together to prevent it’s destruction. Allowing destruction of Mother Earth is not acceptable for living beings, our children, our grandchildren. Please come you then and bear artness to the “power over” energy that is attempting to destroy our future.” -Pam Tinker
“Beautiful property. I’m glad I came and saw for myself the forest, with the big 400+ year old trees that would be destroyed, the waterway that would leave contaminated, and the views that would be obstinated, by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline going through the Limperts’ property. I’ve Learned a lot from my weekend here at the encampment, and will always follow what happens. Thanks for the open invitation to come and camp. As my first retreat experience, I must say it has been a very informational and enjoyable me. Thanks!” -Bryan Banning
“Round 2 out at the Limperts’ Thank you for being such gracious hosts. #NoACP” -Jared Couch
“Such beautiful land, trees, and water. I appreciate your efforts to promote this health and beauty for all, and your welcoming and conversation.” -Don Andress
“Thank you! The “Big tree tour” was so educational and transformational – Thank you for protecting and stewarding Little Valley.” -Annie Walters
“I know that we will win!!!” -Jamshid Bakhtiari CCAN
“Thank you x1,000 for the beautiful hike, your delicious food, and your generous hospitality. Fight the good fight!!!” -Chris Damon and Kate Rivara
“So grateful to have experienced this movement to protect Virginia’s natural beauty. I hope to be back soon! Thank you for sharing your home with me and others this summer!” -Eva Fuze
Last week (July 17, 2018), was my TENTH anniversary at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. I was honored that at our annual retreat, which kicked off on that very day, the staff took a moment and recognized me, my contributions, and acknowledged the changes that have taken place over that decade – both at CCAN and in the world. Through 4 governors in Virginia, 2 in Maryland, 3 DC mayors, countless legislator turnover, loss and gain of so many colleagues – more has changed than has stayed the same since 2008. So, I wanted to take a moment and acknowledge for a broader audience why I have stayed…why I continue to stay. Because I’m extremely proud of CCAN and I feel extremely lucky to have found this home and this outlet for my calling to be a part of this movement.
Everybody likes Top 10 lists, right? 10 points for 10 years. Plus, that’s a way to keep me from droning…so here goes, in order of length so you know it gets easier: Number 10: CCAN’s size limits bureaucracy and maximizes flexibility.
I don’t know if I can communicate adequately how much this means to me. When a coalition partner wants us to sign a letter of support for their efforts, our campaign team and a member of the executive committee confer and we make a decision. It takes about 5 minutes. When I got to CCAN and realized that our health coverage was cumbersome and expensive, my colleague reached out to our broker, got 3 quotes and we changed it before the next fiscal year. What’s more – I stay because we realize this size is an advantage. Although we’d relish a random donor to come in and double our budget – we’d use it to strengthen our existing campaigns, offer more support to the frontline communities we’re fighting alongside, hire 2 more organizers, pay all of our interns instead of offering 3 paid internships a year, hire 1 administrative support staff, 1 full-time fundraiser (bringing that department to a total of TWO dedicated staff), and then give everyone raises and/or additional benefits because we live in one of the most expensive regions of the country and have to fight for every dollar to pay our staff of 15 living wages. Any takers? Accepting donations now. ☺ Number 9: CCAN has no permanent friends and no permanent enemies.
Well, we probably do…but, my point is that we’ll work with almost anyone/group who wants to truly address the climate crisis and we’ll call anyone out who hinders that progress (privately or publicly, depending on the weight of their actions and whether they’re usually friends or usually enemies). That includes politicians of all stripes, other advocacy groups, corporations, and individuals. For example…when VA governor Terry McAuliffe kept paying lip service to the climate while standing alongside Dominion Energy’s CEO to announce his support for its MASSIVE and unnecessary fracked-gas pipeline – we decided we’d given that Democrat enough chances. We pushed back harder than we had on any governor before, even orchestrating arrests outside his home to protest his critically ignorant and harmful move. We knew we were burning that bridge, and we knew someone had to. It’s worth noting that right before he left office, as he saw his “green” reputation in jeopardy, he took an action we’d be asking him to for 4 years – he issued an executive order linking Virginia to a regional carbon cap agreement, his first concrete, significant step for the climate. I stay for moments of impact like that. Number 8: Our scope of work is like the porridge that is “just right.”
I have a four-year-old and am heavy in storybookland. CCAN is a regional group. Our name results in so much confusion thanks to the popularity of the Chesapeake Bay…but, it’s meant to give a regional title and ‘Chesapeake’ sounds so much better than ‘Mid-Atlantic,’ right? But, after working here, I’m convinced we’d be farther along in the climate movement if there were more regional groups that focused on grassroots organizing. We have a central leadership team that brings consistency to our work, communications support and expertise, and just enough administrative support to ensure that the majority of our staff is insulated from the worst of it. Meanwhile, our campaign staff knows the geography, politics, and constituencies of Maryland, DC, and Virginia inside and out. It’s a beautiful arrangement and I wish there more CCANs out there…with clearer names that don’t insinuate a knowledge they don’t have (please don’t ask me about phosphate in the Bay). ☺ Sometimes I think I should leave to go start one of these groups. Don’t worry, Mike, I have no immediate plans. Number 7: CCAN has seen me through some life-changing times.
My mom was diagnosed with cancer just months before I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I spent a week per month over the course of 8 months working remotely to be with her and my family with Mike’s only question being: what else can we do to support you? I spent much of the winter that she died in North Carolina, doing work when I could, thankful for the escape it brought and thankful to leave it behind as needed. The entire CCAN team was patient as I made my back to the world, in a fog at first, with more clarity as time passed…only to embark on the next fog with the birth of my two children over the next few years. I’ve been able to carve out a role that supports CCAN, the climate, me, and my family and I’m so grateful. Number 6: We take chances on people.
CCAN has launched and furthered the careers of DOZENS of change agents. We often hire young, inexperienced staff because we value fresh eyes, we value passion mixed with a readiness to learn and take on big responsibility, and we thrive on the energy and creativity that new advocates and organizers bring to our campaigns. Our alumni are running other climate and environmental organizations or programs, making a living running a nationally known podcast, starting up their own consulting careers supporting clean energy, and litigating climate protection, to name a few. CCAN has trained and supported many of them over the last decade, and while I’d never take credit for their success, I’m proud to be a part of it. Number 5: CCAN takes risks.
We are – as an organization, from the top to the bottom – willing and ready to take risks and push the envelope. Most of the time that pays off, and when it doesn’t we learn from it and move on. We’ve dumped a ton (literally) of coal on a Senate lawn garnering national media coverage (yay!), and we mailed letters along with little packets of coffee beans to legislators in Annapolis to prove a point about how little of an investment we were asking for offshore wind…the amount of a cup of coffee…resulting in a building-wide Anthrax scare (oops – we learned a valuable lesson or two!). We sit down with legislators, but we also sit-IN their offices if that’s what’s needed. I stay because this inspires me. Number 4: CCAN has a culture of learning.
How can we be better, more effective, more just, win faster, win slower to go faster, take more risks, take fewer risks, build more power, build more strategic power, etc. etc.? Most of our annual retreats and in-person quarterly staff meetings are spent tackling our weaknesses, offering trainings to strengthen our skills, and debriefing our recent efforts to document things we did well and things we’d do differently next time around. I stay because I’m proud of that culture – our people and our planet deserve it. Number 3: We also know when to compromise so we can live to fight another day.
We have passed legislation in Maryland and DC that set national precedent and we’ve passed bills that are far from what we wanted because we realized that the tiny investment in clean energy in Virginia was all we were gonna get until some new leadership came along. In deciding to pursue legislation as one of our strategies, compromise is a given. But, we push as far and as hard as we can, and that’s one reason I stay. Number 2: We win.
Our list of victories is long and getting longer each year. We’re efficient, we’re smart, we’re tenacious. And, as I’m always teaching our staff at CCAN – we are good planners and time managers. So, with that…I’ll skip listing them all out even though it’s one of the most important reasons I stay. Because I need to get back to work. Number 1: We have a culture of gratitude.
Thank you to CCAN for this second home. Thank you to Mike Tidwell for having the sheer will and passion it takes to sustain this organization. Thank you to each and every staff person past and present who supports me, teaches me, and inspires me to keep doing this work. Thank you to each and every volunteer and coalition partner who makes this a MOVEMENT, not a job. Here’s to another decade working for climate justice. Kirsten’s first staff retreat in 2008.
Last year, over 600 Baltimoreans traveled to DC to stand with the Peoples Climate Movement in a powerful demonstration for jobs, justice, and climate action. Since then, we’ve brought the momentum to #BmoreClimateJust back home. Our city councilvoted to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement, stood up foroffshore wind, and passed landmark legislation to prohibit new crude oil terminals within city limits. And just last week, the city filed a lawsuit seeking to hold 26 fossil fuel companies financially responsible for damages from climate change, a move that wouldn’t have happened without the constant demand for climate action across the city. It’s been an exciting year – but there’s much more to do. Thankfully, the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement, a coalition working for a just clean energy and economic future, has grown and strengthened since last year’s march. Over the summer and fall, we’re creating opportunities across the city for residents to develop advocacy skills, make art, and learn about how climate change impacts our daily lives. Then on September 8th, we’ll rally for local action on climate, jobs, and justice as the national Peoples Climate Movement stands up across the country. Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for more details for September 8th. In the meantime, join the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement this summer for exciting skills trainings, art builds, and town halls!
How have things been going so far? This month, we hosted a Protest Health & Safety training to learn how to stay healthy and safe at protests and political actions. The training, run by the Baltimore Street Medic Collective, included tips on what to wear/bring to an action; an overview of situational awareness; information about jail support and how to prepare in case of arrest; an overview of common ailments such as hypothermia, hyperthermia, and dehydration; tips on how to take care of yourself in the case of police weapons; and information about aftercare, trauma, and wellness strategies. Our trainers from the Baltimore Street Medic Collective demonstrate how to help someone who has been pepper-sprayed or tear-gassed.
A countertop full of medical supplies and other gear that our trainers recommend bringing with you to protests and actions. The most important? Water! As several members of our coalition witnessed or personally experienced heat exhaustion and other illnesses at last year’s Peoples Climate March in DC, this training provided critical information for our team and our larger community to stay safe and take care of one another during future actions. Also during this training, the Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition taught us how to identify and respond to an opioid overdose, providing life-saving training to our members and training participants. We also hosted two art builds in July! During the weekend of July 14-15, members of the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement and residents learned how to make stencils, screenprint and make banners for upcoming actions including the Zero Hour Youth Climate March and ongoing local campaigns. The art builds were hosted at Black Cherry Puppet Theater, which was full all weekend of folks of different ages, skill levels, and backgrounds who were able to learn new skills, share those skills with others, engage in conversation, and build community. Over the course of the weekend, we painted four banners, screenprinted 20 fabric signs, 10 t-shirts, and over 50 posters and taught a team how to assemble fabric banner signs. Naadiya Hutchinson, a member of the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement art cluster, paints a banner.
Cortez Elliott, a member of the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement, shows Rachel how to screenprint a “Burning Trash is Not Clean Energy” poster.
Then during Artscape, we worked with young leaders from Baltimore Beyond Plastic to host an art build to make banners and flags for the #ThisIsZeroHour Youth Climate March. Together with the young people who stopped by our tent throughout the day, we painted four banners and over 20 fabric flags for the Baltimore contingent of the Youth Climate March to bring with them to Washington, DC the next day.
Valeska Populoh, leader of the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement art cluster, sorts through the fabric flags made throughout the day.
A group of young campers stopped by to help out with the “We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For” banner. Photo credit: Valeska Populoh
Baltimore Beyond Plastic student leaders Claire Wayner and Maeve Secor braving the rain at the Youth Climate March! Photo credit: Kristen Doerer
As you can see, we’ve already been busy with our first skills training and art builds — I hope that you’ll join us for our upcoming events! More information and RSVP below: Change Our City Charter: A Teach-In When: Tuesday, July 24, 7:00 – 8:30pm Where: Impact Hub (10 E North Ave, Baltimore, MD) What: Join this training on Baltimore City’s charter and learn how you can use ballot initiatives to change the way city government works. Hear from legal experts and community organizers about current ballot initiative efforts and how you can use this tool to rewrite the city charter. Gain practical skills and learn how to put your ideas on the ballot! There will be snacks and refreshments provided. RSVP: RSVP here and spread the word to your Facebook friends here!
Transit, Housing & Health Town Hall When: Saturday, July 28, 11:00am – 1:00pm Where: Real News Network (231 N. Holliday St, Baltimore, MD) What: Does your community have too many vacant homes and not enough affordable housing? Do you ride public transportation – or try to, but the bus doesn’t come? Or the metro shuts down unexpectedly? Have this year’s storms and extreme weather flooded your home or created mold? Miss the Red Line and the jobs it would have brought? Has your child missed school because of asthma? Worried about how climate change will make these problems worse? Join us for a town hall where we will educate ourselves and one another about these issues in the city, how they connect to one another, and how solutions can create more climate-resilient communities. RSVP: RSVP on Facebook and invite all your friends!
Make Art for a Just, Clean Energy & Economic Future When: Wednesday, August 15, 6:00 – 9:00pm & Saturday, August 18 from noon-4pm. Where: Black Cherry Puppet Theater (1115 Hollins St, Baltimore, MD) What: What does climate justice mean to you? Do you have asthma? Rely on public transit? Are there vacants in your neighborhood? Develop your creative skills and build community at these art builds while deepening your knowledge about local efforts for climate justice in Baltimore. All materials will be provided. RSVP: RSVP for August 15 here and for August 18 here – and invite all your friends!
Festival for Change: Climate, Jobs & Justice When: Saturday, September 8, noon – 4:00pm. Where: War Memorial Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21202 What: On September 8, thousands of rallies will be held in cities and towns around the world to demand our local leaders commit to building a fossil free world that works for all of us. Join us for a festival with art, performances, and opportunities to take action for climate justice in Baltimore! RSVP: RSVP on Action Network.
–Written by Pam Tinker, a recent visitor to “No Pipeline Summer: A Camp to Save the Limperts’ Land”
Greetings from Bath County Virginia!
Bruce and I are visiting the home and land of Bill and Lynn Limpert to see firsthand their land in the path of Dominion’s proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. We urge you to bring a group to “No Pipeline Summer” to see and hear for yourself how sinister this proposal really is! Bill and Lynn are gracious and knowledgeable hosts. You will learn so much and the drive is beautiful!
We went for a beautiful walk this Sunday morning along the steep ridges and in the old-growth forest of trees that are several centuries old. I tried to imagine how a pipeline could possibly be built along these steep ridges without causing grave damage to the ecosystems and the waterways that feed to the James River and then to the Chesapeake Bay. The idea that a for-profit company is given the right to force their way onto private land and our public lands for economic profit using eminent domain is abhorrent to me.
I am incensed that the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) did not hold hearings in Northern Virginia and that On a hike with the Limperts
our local media is not covering the connection that this pipeline has to all Virginians. It has intentionally been framed a Southwest Virginia issue that does not concern us, although we will be the ones who pay the estimated $1.6 to $2 billion cost of pipeline construction in Virginia through increased utility rates. Our increased rates will pay for their stockholders’ profits. The existing underutilized pipeline system is adequate for Virginia’s future energy needs at a much cheaper cost with minor adaptations.
This project is not for the public good: Virginians already have an adequate gas supply, and increased fossil fuel transmission will result in increased CO2 production and increased global warming. Dominion has the expertise, money, and ability to turn the company toward the path of renewable energy if forced to do so by the public and/or by Governor Northam, the state Water Control Board, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), or DEQ.
Pipeline construction contributes to an existential threat to humans, and must be stopped. The expertise and knowledge of our scientific community must be respected and utilized.
Please call Governor Northam’s office at 804-786-2211 (during weekdays) and write to Honorable Ralph Northam,
Governor of Virginia, P.O. Box 1475, Richmond, VA 23218 and tell him to STOP the PIPELINES!
In celebration of summer, we’re kicking off a photo contest and we’re hoping to hear from YOU! Do you have beautiful images you’d like to share with our community and the world? Do you want to showcase a visual story about climate change, the environment and community? What do you treasure about where you live? Why are YOU hopeful for the future?
Send in an image for your chance to win prizes and recognition within our member community and on the web. Prizes will include gift cards to local DC businesses. The three winners will also get the chance to guest write a blog post or take part in an interview, telling the story of their image. It’s a great way to connect with our community and share your perspective on your climate home.
Photos should feature the following:
Environmental themes: Did you help protect our natural resources? Participate in a rally for a carbon price? Get your community involved in a solar project? Start a neighborhood garden? Lobby your legislator environmental justice? Show us how you are working on environmental issues.
The natural beauty of the Chesapeake region: We’re lucky that DC, Virginia, and Maryland are so filled with nature! Showcase yourself with your favorite city/nature hotspot! Tell us in the description how it helps refresh yourself.
Anything you treasure at risk from climate change: From your favorite bee to your cousin’s nephew, what do you cherish and want to protect from climate change? Show us why it is so important to act on climate change where you live.
Entering our photo contest is free and easy. Simply choose to submit via Instagram or email, following the instructions below. Email info@carbonpricedc.org with the subject line “Photo Contest” with any questions.
By email: Send your photo and a description with the subject line “Photo Contest Submission” to info@chesapeakeclimate.org
Act Fast! The contest is only open until early September (date to be determined soon).
Follow all instructions under the Rules and Guidelines below.
Winners will be announced by early September and publicized in our communications and social media throughout the rest of summer and fall. Winners will be notified by email. Make sure your email is included when you submit your entry.
Prizes will be awarded to the Grand Prize winner and three finalists. The prizes will be gift cards to local businesses who support carbon pricing and climate action. The Grand Prize is $40 to ANXO Cidery and Pintxos Bar, and the runner-up prizes will receive gift certificates ranging from $18 to $25 to other DC businesses.
*By entering the Photo Contest, you are agreeing to the rules and guidelines of the Photo Contest (below).
To be eligible to enter, you must be 18 years or older.
Limit five submissions per member.
Each participant in the Photo Contest (each a “Participant”) is responsible for ensuring that he or she has the right to submit.
Submit large, high resolution images in color or black and white.
Only original photos taken by the person or featuring the person submitting are eligible; others will be disqualified.
Only digital entries are eligible and must be submitted electronically. You may submit scans of slides or paper prints.
By sharing your photograph with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), you agree to the following:
If the photo(s) you share with this group is of someone other than you or something not on your or public property, you have obtained permission and/or have the ability and authority to submit such photo(s) for display on CCAN’s website as described above, and you agree that the images do not infringe on any third party’s rights.
No payment will be made to you for CCAN’s display of the photos taken of or submitted by you.
If your photo is selected as a finalist, you hereby grant CCAN permission to display the photograph you submit along with your name in promotions of the Photo Contest on the CCAN website, other publications, Facebook updates, Twitter content, and in member emails.
By entering the Photo Contest, participants agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless CCAN, its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, attorneys, agents and representatives, from any and all third party liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition (collectively, “Losses”), including without limitation any third party claim for copyright infringement or a violation of an individual’s right to privacy and/or publicity right. The Photo Contest is void where prohibited by law.
CCAN is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the photo competition, or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions to the photo competition, including but not limited to any misprints or typographical errors. CCAN assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. CCAN is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer equipment, servers, providers, computer on-line systems, software, or failure of email on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, including injury or damage to participant’s or to any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or uploading images or information in the photo contest.
If, for any reason, the photo competition is not capable of completion as planned, including but not limited to, any reason of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of CCAN that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the photo competition, CCAN reserves the right at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the photo competition.
Photo at the top by Alexa Gaul on Unsplash Alexa Gaul
Written by Samuel Wright We are in the midst of a powerful summer of resistance.
So far, dozens of people dedicated their time and energy so far by coming out to the property of Bill and Lynn Limpert to camp or hike in the beautiful old-growth forests in the path of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. We’ve been sharing skills, stories, and knowledge, while simultaneously forming invaluable connections with one another. As this fight continues these bonds we have will prove to be a dynamic force that can not only energize ourselves but those around us.
With this in mind, I wanted to share some updates from the camp this weekend for those of you who were not here but have been previously and those who may have hopes of coming out to join.
On Friday, the day did not begin to start until the late afternoon. Because it was later in the day the campers who did arrive immediately hiked out to the Miracle Ridge campsite to set up their tents. As tents were erected and the sun slowly retreated behind the ridges in the distance giving off ethereal rays of oranges and reds, campers came onto the porch and talked into the night. The day ended with a few of us looking at the stars, locating both the Big Dipper and the north star and then calling it a night.
On Saturday, we got an early start with a hike that took us all the way to an forest service road high up on Jack Mountain located directly behind Bill and Lynn’s house. As a few of us would come to learn that this forest service road we were standing on was the same one on which Dominion is threatening to build an access road. This road would undoubtedly disrupt the land and the ecosystem around it. Specifically, as we learned, an endangered habitat of Rusty Patch Bumblebees. Photo taken by Jared Couch. Campers on forest service road
After that those of us on the hike came back down to the house and within an hour of returning we were met with a handful of community members from surrounding areas of Bath County. Some — like Gary and Jennette Robinson, and Lee and Linda Brauer — came from short distances like Little Valley, while others — like Ann Bryan and Barry Marshall — came from a few miles farther (Burnsville, and Williamsville). As folks continued to trickle in at their own pace, Ann Bryan performed a Peace and Harmony ceremony for everyone on the porch which included deep breathing, and long periods of meditation. Ann Bryan conducting the peace and harmony ceremony.
After the Peace and Harmony ceremony Sandy Hausman of NPR came by and interviewed a few of the surrounding county members to document stories around the pipeline in Bath County and this current encampment. I can’t describe to you how poignant some of these stories were and how important it is to come and witness and hear firsthand those who are impacted by this highly destructive and extractive infrastructure. It has not only deepened my understanding of why we are fighting Dominion and the fossil fuel industry but it was grounding to be in the presence and listen to such powerful narratives.
Once the interviews ended Sandy Hausman, Bill, Lynn, myself and a few campers did a big tree hike and viewed Miracle Ridge. Before Sandy and a few of the community members left, we all gathered around the No Pipeline Banner (hung across two trees as you arrive at the Limpert’s) and took a group photo. Once the crowd dispersed a few of us went our separate ways and gathered back on the porch later in the night as a few more campers trickled in from North Carolina and shared their stories as we ate food and conversed. Bill Limpert is interviewed by Sandy Hausman during the Big Tree Walk. Photo by Jared Couch. Bill and Lynn Limpert leading the big tree hike. Photo by Jared Couch.
On Sunday, we had a pretty lax day as most campers began to pack up and leave in the morning. Before that though our Director Mike Tidwell and VA Organizer Jamshid Bakhtiari took campers over to Ona and gave them a chance to have their picture taken with the big trees.
I know this is only a small window into the emotive experiences shared this weekend, but It is my hope that you take some solace in these photos and stay in the loop with the encampment as it continues!
To campers who have come and still want to help there are many ways you can contribute! First and foremost, tell your friends about your experience, tell them to come out and arrange carpools to the encampment this summer.
Then, you can bring your experience back home and inspire others to have the same. Call or write a letter to Governor Northam and tell him about your experience here and how this pipeline is not needed and to take the necessary steps to stop it. Donate to Interfaith Action for Climate Justice online. Finally, if you have the time come and volunteer with us at the camp! If you felt moved to be here this summer and join the pipeline resistance in Bath County email me on how you would like to help here at the camp this summer!
Either way, I hope to see you out here again very soon!
By Nancy Hugo
I knew I was under-informed about Atlantic Coast Pipeline issues before I visited Miracle Ridge, but I didn’t know how much I was until last weekend.
That’s when I met Bill and Lynn Limpert, along with Sam Wright, who is helping the them organize “camptivists” visiting their property.
“Come,” was the Limpert’s invitation, “just to see where the pipeline will go.” There was no demand for action, no requirement to report on the experience. But you can’t visit a place like that without wanting to do something to oppose the pipeline.
As a “tree person,” I expected it to be tree impressions that remained strongest in my memory after the visit. Those impressions are rich: beautiful sugar maples — including one old “hub” tree that probably pre-dates European settlement — are among those that would be destroyed by the pipeline.
But the strongest impression I came away with has more to do with terrain than trees. It’s the topography of Miracle Ridge — its steep sides, rocky substrate, and thin soil, that makes it seem uniquely vulnerable to disturbance. And what a disturbance this would be. Clearcutting an area 125 feet wide and blasting that would reduce this fragile area to rubble.
And for what? To transport natural gas that isn’t needed in Virginia to the coast for sale overseas? To support fracking (which we know to be environmentally catastrophic) in West Virginia? To destroy private land for the profit of Dominion Power?
Knowing that it is I (and every other Dominion ratepayer in Virginia) who will be paying for this vast, unnecessary destruction adds to the horror of it.
Today, in Ashland, I had lunch with a group of activists opposing the pipeline. In their company, I felt even more embarrassed by my ignorance, but, inspired by Sam and the Limperts, at least now I’m not totally unaware of what’s happening. And I’m determined to do what I can to oppose the pipeline.
Written by Lauren Brown, CCAN 2018 Spring Intern
Since I’ve been a little kid, I’ve always been a nature lover. Many of my happiest and most memorable times growing up were when I was traversing, connecting with, and observing nature. As I have grown older, my feelings of love and responsibility for the Earth have become more clear and palpable. It was exciting to enter college and take on this responsibility in a new way. As an environmental politics & policy major at UMD, I was able to learn all about environmental science, economics, law, and politics and share it with others.
I had some really amazing professors and mentors that helped support and empower me. Liz Lee from CCAN was one of those people.
Liz came to do a lobbying training at UMD and I was moved by her story of leaving her job as a government regulatory counsel to volunteer with CCAN, then join the staff at CCAN. She had experienced an awakening; that she wanted to do something more, for her legacy and for the world. She told me she wakes up every day and her purpose is clear.
We connected that night and I embarked on my journey as a CCAN intern.
As an advocate, one works in front of the scenes and behind the scenes. Everyone works as a unit. That’s how fracking bans are passed, people’s voices are heard, and miracles are made. It was a cool thing to be part of the team and to support each other. The main bill I worked on was the Clean Energy Jobs Act. This important bill will increase our renewable portfolio standard from 25 percent to 50 percent by 2030, providing thousands of new clean energy jobs. It also works to phase out incinerator incentives and provide support for minority, veteran and female-owned renewable energy businesses. I had lots of interesting tasks from setting up lobby appointments with legislators, making communications materials for constituents, leading lobbying training breakout groups, and tabling at student events. As I was a part of planning for crucial events to advance our bill, I felt fulfilled in that I could see the results of my hard work and the successful momentum we gained this legislative session.
The first event that I had the chance to participate in was the Clean Energy Jobs Act Rally in January. I felt immediately supported by over 150 volunteers and staff. There is something about just getting out there, being a part of something bigger than one’s self, and finding that strength in numbers.
This rally was especially striking because we had a parade of electric vehicles around the State Capitol. Each car was artfully decorated with campaign slogans, streamers, and hand-written signs. The parade was followed by speeches by impassioned community leaders and legislators; each so excited they were vying for time with the microphone. The location was just right and tons of government workers passed by; their attention sparked by all the activity. I made my goal in gathering petitions that day but I also made friends. I went home that day riding on the wings of hope. I felt joy in the camaraderie and meaning in the work we were doing.
Another event I helped with was a Clean Energy Jobs lobbying night in February in Annapolis. What a powerful swarming of our state legislators with CCAN and Maryland Climate Coalition volunteers! We had over 130 spirited, compassionate, knowledgeable frontrunners who were not afraid to speak their truth. This was especially exciting for me because I had never lobbied before. I was really touched by my delegates and senators from Montgomery County who wholeheartedly supported our bill and even participated in its creation. Gathering people together for lobbying is a good example of the steps we need to take to bring our state together, to spread pro-environmental inspiration, and to address climate change. I have also enjoyed educating the public and talking to regular citizen one-on-one about important issues. I am so grateful for having been part of CCAN and helping to contribute to this mission.
Although my spring internship ended, I have continued working with CCAN as a volunteer! It’s been fun tabling with other dedicated CCAN volunteers and interns this summer and helping out with the recent candidate forum in Charles County. It is exciting to see my impact in making the Clean Energy Jobs the priority environmental election issue for voters and candidates!
By Mike Tidwell To fully understand the unbearable insanity of Dominion Energy’s plan to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, you’ve got to come here to Bath County, Virginia to see it. I arrived June 29th with half a dozen other activists to launch a colorful, determined and transparent camp of protest designed to last all summer long with hundreds of people like you. When I got here, I promptly set up my tent among 300- and 400-year old sugar maples, basswoods and hickory trees. Bill and Lynn Limpert, staunch foes of Dominion’s $6 billion pipeline for fracked gas, own one of the most pristine stands of old-growth forests in all of Virginia. Some of the trees are as old as 500 years old. The jaw-dropping hardwood growth covers most of a 3000-foot-long Appalachian ridge that the Limperts appropriately call “Miracle Ridge.” For perspective, there are no old-growth forests like this anywhere in Shenandoah National Park, a crown jewel of the US National Park System. Let that sink in. The Limperts’ 120 acres in Bath County, now in the direct pathway of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, is as pristine and wondrous as any forest in the state. Dominion wants to cut it all down and blow up all of Miracle Ridge — the whole ridge — for the pipeline. I’ve been lucky in my life. I’ve seen the great Sequoias of California, the Baobabs of Africa, the towering tea trees of Western Australia. But there’s a special magic to the Limperts’ ancient forest. Backpack in tow, I first visited “Ona,” a 300-year-old sugar maple who would be one of the first trees Dominion cuts down. Ona, an old Lithuanian name, has a staggering 15-foot circumference. You stand at her base and look up and see a seemingly infinite expanse of massive, gentle branches cradling entire ecosystems of birds and epiphyte plants and harboring the soft sound of leaves stirring from gentle summer winds. In Ona’s presence, you look up, you look down. Your feet stop moving. You sigh. You want to cry…with a joy you cannot name. You feel the past and the future all at the same time. And you feel utterly present in the miracle reach of this tree almost too big NOT to be a dream. Ona is just a 10-minute walk from the Limperts’ mountain home. I hope you’ll come see her and this land sometime this summer. The Limperts — Bill 71, Lynn 63 — are inviting concerned people like you and me from across Virginia and the region to come pitch a tent on their soft grass around their home at 3,200 feet of elevation, with a view of vast mountain ranges to the north. It’s a very comfortable place to visit. There’s a wide porch with tables for outdoor cooking. There’s a Jiffy John on the edge of the meadow. You bask in the view, make new friends, drink coffee. You can drive your car right to the home and camp comfortably no matter what your age and how many kids you have. Or you can walk along a marked trail and camp right in the pipeline right of way, among the giant trees of Miracle Ridge. That’s what I did, with my new friend Jerrod who found the camp online and drove over from Richmond. As the last light of day left the sky, I sat in a camp chair on the ridge and watched all the trees come alive around me, in magical dark silhouettes. They seem even bigger at night, with a soft riot of June fireflies all around them under a full moon and a blanket of stars. How could an energy company — or any company at all — believe that it is right to destroy this ridge and these trees to transport violently drilled fracked gas that will further warm our planet? Bill Limpert, the friendly, soft-spoken, guitar-playing steward of this land is inviting anyone who cares to come see the forest in person, to spend time as his guest and be part of the biggest environmental fight now going on in Virginia. As Bill says, “A picture is worth a thousand words, but a visit is worth a thousand pictures.” Please come and join us any time between now and early September.Come for a day hike or come for several days of glorious, convenient, and meaningful camping. Get your picture taken with Ona and share it on social media. Come be part of the back porch letter-writing campaign. Help us invite Governor Northam and members of the State Water Control Board to personally see what their actions or inactions could allow to happen. I’ll leave you with more words from Bill Limpert. A reporter asked him why he was forming this summer protest camp on his property. “Lynn and I want to save these glorious trees, of course,” he said. “We want to save the ridge and protect the water of our state. But more than anything, we want to use this camp and this pipeline to protest and stop the calamity of climate change. Lynn and I are not youngsters. We’re retired and getting up there in years. But it is our full intention to outlive the fossil fuel industry.” Let that one sink in too. Don’t you want to be part of this peaceful, principled, spirited fight we’re putting up? Come join “No Pipeline Summer: Camp to Save the Limperts’ Land.” I’ll see you there.
CCAN activist Lee Williams, a lifelong environmental advocate, is a force to be reckoned with in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2016, Lee helped pull together the March on the Mansion, getting over 700 folks to the Governor’s Mansion in 100+ degree weather. In the fall of that year, she was arrested with a dozen other activists outside of that mansion, protesting then-Governor Terry McAuliffe’s support for the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines. This past spring, she worked to pull together a delegation of more than a dozen Virginia Delegates and Senators to hold a press conference in Richmond to denounce the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines. In May, she organized one of the most energetic Dominion shareholder protests in recent memory, getting landowners, elected officials, faith leaders, and even the famed tree-sitter Red Terry herself to come and speak to the impassioned crowd.
With her no-quit and high-spirited attitude she has continued to work for the people and climate in Virginia well into our present moment. Although there is still much work to be done, this Richmond-based climate warrior is not going anywhere. In fact it is precisely because of people like her that Virginia is becoming more and more connected in the struggle for our future. Read on to meet Lee Williams!
Your age: 53 Where you live: Richmond, Virginia What are the impacts of climate change that hit closest to home for you?
I have family in Florida and Charleston, South Carolina and I am concerned every hurricane season for their safety. Half the year, the city of Charleston regularly faces tidal flooding, a situation that will worsen with continued sea level rise. Why did you decide to get involved in taking action on climate?
I have been a lifelong activist and nonprofit volunteer who has focused primarily on environmental and social justice issues. Once you spend any time doing environmental work, it becomes irrefutably clear that the majority of our issues intersect with environmental justice issues. Poor populations often bear the brunt of climate impacts, living on the front lines of rising seas, catastrophic storms, and drought. Women, African Americans, and other people of color bare a disproportionate burden of climate change in the United States and across the world.
I was frustrated by the many climate deniers holding elected office and saw a need to shine light on this injustice and push for attention at the policy level to direct planning and resources where they are most needed. Investments in natural buffers, flood control measures, and climate-resilient housing are only half of the story and too reactive.
As a Nurse, I believe “an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.” I am engaged in the struggle encouraging elected officials to ACT on climate change – not just REACT with mitigation measures. We must stop building fossil fuel infrastructure immediately, and invest in clean, renewable technology. What has inspired you most working with CCAN and/or in your community?
It’s been proven that humans are not just motivated by monetary reward or even recognition, but also by finding purpose in their work. I’m the type of person that finds energy from passionate people. In the nonprofit sector I’ve meet lots of kind, purpose-driven people with attitude that are more than teammates, they’ve become family. The folks in our Virginia coalition of environmentalists are working for a better world for everyone. You can’t find a a better group of people to work towards mutual goals with than that! What do you like to do when you’re not advocating in your community?
I need to be outside playing! Whether paddling on our beautiful James River or running the paths of the Buttermilk Trail, I need to be surrounded by Nature to counterbalance the challenging and sometimes soul-sucking work that I do. Who would you high five?
My mom. She showed me from a young age how to share your voice for those that have no voice, love and care for all living things and to never knowingly do harm. She was never afraid to stand up for what she believed. She died 21 years ago. I hope she’d like to high five me too!
Last week (July 17, 2018), was my TENTH anniversary at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. I was honored that at our annual retreat, which kicked off on that very day, the staff took a moment and recognized me, my contributions, and acknowledged the changes that have taken place over that decade – both at CCAN and in the world. Through 4 governors in Virginia, 2 in Maryland, 3 DC mayors, countless legislator turnover, loss and gain of so many colleagues – more has changed than has stayed the same since 2008. So, I wanted to take a moment and acknowledge for a broader audience why I have stayed…why I continue to stay. Because I’m extremely proud of CCAN and I feel extremely lucky to have found this home and this outlet for my calling to be a part of this movement.
their property.
And what a disturbance this would be. Clearcutting an area 125 feet wide and blasting that would reduce this fragile area to rubble.
environmental science, economics, law, and politics and share it with others.
more than a dozen Virginia Delegates and Senators to hold a press conference in Richmond to denounce the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines. In May, she organized one of the most energetic Dominion shareholder protests in recent memory, getting landowners, elected officials, faith leaders, and even the famed tree-sitter Red Terry herself to come and speak to the impassioned crowd.
Your age: 53