Every question you have about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, answered

In an age of rising seas and harmful pipelines, one thing is clear: Virginia needs strong climate action now.
To do so, CCAN is proposing that Virginia join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. This would be a bold move on climate in Virginia. One way to get there would be to pass statewide legislation, such as the Alternative Energy and Coastal Protection Act. But no matter how we get there, it’s worth laying out all the questions you may have.
What is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative,  anyway?

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a market-based climate change plan that reduces harmful pollution from fossil-fuel power plants and makes polluters pay for their carbon emissions. There are currently nine East Coast states in the program that together set a “cap” on planet-warming fossil fuel emissions from power plants, which lowers each year. Then, they allow the power plants to “trade” pollution allowances however they see fit to keep total emissions under the cap from Maine to Maryland (thus the name “cap and trade.”)

It’s a flexible, market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and has proven effective in helping states cut carbon.

The auction also generates millions of dollars of revenue, which goes back to the states to fund additional carbon reduction programs and other public benefit initiatives decided by each state.
Virginia is currently in the drafting process of regulations that would allow us to partially engage in the program, but we still have more work to do — more on that below.

What is a pollution “allowance”?

An allowance represents one ton of carbon dioxide that is burned in a power plant within a RGGI state.
RGGI controls and reduces pollution by setting a number of allowances that are available to buy based off of each state’s cap and lowering that number each year. Then, power companies can bid on the allowances based off of what they need to provide power to their customers.

The regulated power plants can buy allowances from any state, but because there are a limited amount of them, the companies also look to other methods that don’t involve fossil fuels like energy efficiency and renewable energy to provide their customers with energy at a lower cost. The bidding for these allowances takes place at regional auctions four times per year.

What exactly is covered under RGGI?

Specifically, any power plant in a RGGI state that burns fossil fuels (coal or natural gas) with a capacity of 25 megawatts (MW) or greater is required to meet the climate pollution standards set by RGGI. More generally, this applies to large utility-owned power plants that provide energy for large numbers of people. They are called “regulated sources.”

These “regulated sources” are required to have their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions monitored. They must also buy allowances for each ton of CO2 they plan to emit. Once RGGI sets a cap on the number of allowances available, polluters must figure out how to stay below the cap — either by paying more to pollute or by investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

I’ve heard that Virginia is already joining RGGI. What does that mean?

In November 2017, the Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board approved draft regulations to cap carbon emissions by linking with RGGI. “Linking” means that Virginia polluters will be able to trade within the RGGI market, but through a consignment auction — which means Virginia regulators themselves would give away allowances instead of selling them.

This means that Virginia regulators at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will have no say over where the revenue raised from these auctions will go. It also means that DEQ would give polluters their allotted allowances for free instead of buying them from the state. They would then be obligated to sell them back into the RGGI market and buy back what they need.

This process blocks Virginia (and its residents) from accessing the huge funding opportunities that other RGGI states currently enjoy. It also opens the possibility that polluters could actually make a profit off of the RGGI market if they buy back less pollution allowances than they sold.

Also, this “link” has an end date. It only permits Virginia’s participation in the program through the year 2030.

So why should Virginia formally join?

By formally joining RGGI, our elected Virginia officials would be able to access the millions of dollars in revenue to spend on programs that benefit the Virginia public — instead of lining the pockets of corporations.

As a formal member, state regulators at the Virginia DEQ would have the authority sell all of Virginia’s allowances to polluters — instead of giving them away for free — and invest the revenue (projected to be up to $200 million per year) in projects that would mitigate climate change and help the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents. This step would also place a long-term cap on carbon, guaranteeing that we’ll continue to lower carbon pollution past the year 2030.

How do we go about doing that?

Legislative action is required to formally join RGGI. We at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network have been advocating for this, most recently through a bill called the Virginia Alternative Energy and Coastal Protection Act (VCPA).

A bill like this would allow us to formally join the program and give DEQ full authority to make a carbon rule with much more long-term certainty.

Has RGGI effectively reduced carbon emissions?

Yes! RGGI has proven effective in helping states significantly reduce carbon emissions while bolstering their economies at the same time. In 2016, RGGI states emitted even less than the cap required — 8.4 percent less. Overall, emissions have fallen 40 percent since RGGI launched. The newest RGGI model rule will lead to an additional 30 percent reduction from current emissions by 2030 as well.

What will cutting carbon emissions mean for our health?

Virginia stands to gain huge benefits from RGGI that go far beyond climate impacts. By cleaning up our power plants, we would also cut down dangerous air pollutants like soot and smog alongside carbon. States that are currently in RGGI have already seen immense health benefits: air quality improvements have prevented at least 8,200 asthma attacks, 39,000 lost workdays, and 300 premature deaths. It is estimated that RGGI has provided these states $5.7 billion in public health benefits. Joining RGGI will not only provide long-term relief from climate change, but also immediate public health benefits to Virginia’s most vulnerable residents.

And what about our economy?

Joining RGGI would provide a huge economic boost to Virginia residents. The revenue Virginia would receive would be invested in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs that create jobs and help businesses. It would also help lower electric bills through investments in energy efficiency. Participation in RGGI has generated over $1.4 billion in economic activity for participating states in just the past three years. The program has also created over 44,000 jobs. Customers in those states have also saved money through energy efficiency improvements and by switching to cheaper renewable energy — $1.37 billion to be exact!

How could joining RGGI lead to more wind and solar power?

Formally joining RGGI would open up new funding to help solar and wind power companies. This crucial investment will help Virginia create jobs and catch up to neighboring states in the growing clean energy economy. Formally joining would also provide a permanent incentive for renewable energy sources, since they will not require a RGGI allowance and will thus gain a price advantage over dirty energy.

Currently, we are lagging far behind our neighbors in terms of renewable energy. Virginia only gets 0.5 percent of its energy from solar power — and we have yet to build a wind turbine bigger than the 10 kilowatt residential standard systems! Long-term investment in renewables and incentives like the RGGI market will help us increase those numbers astronomically.

Ok, let’s talk money. How much revenue would we be able to access?

It’s estimated that RGGI would bring up to $200 million in revenue to Virginia each year. This could lead to as much as $2 billion in new revenue by 2030 for projects that mitigate climate change and improve the livelihood of residents across the Commonwealth!

Wow! What could we do with all those proceeds?

With access to the revenue from RGGI, we couldd boost our economy, protect our most vulnerable communities, and lower energy bills for all Virginians.

In the bill that was discussed in this year’s General Assembly (the VCPA), proceeds would provide consistent funding for twenty-first century economic development in southwest Virginia — an area that is heavily reliant on the fossil fuel industry — leading to more capacity to aid families and train workers in the growing renewable energy job market.

It would also help protect Virginians from sea level rise by providing a reliable revenue stream for the Shoreline Resiliency Fund, a revolving fund created by the General Assembly in 2015 to help residents, businesses, and municipalities fund flooding resilience projects.

It would invest millions of dollars in energy efficiency — with a special focus on low-income communities — to help lower bills and use less energy in general.

Finally, it could provide millions of dollars to stabilize funding for agricultural “best management practices” (BMPs) that help farmers and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

But what about fracking? I’ve heard RGGI incentivizes fracked gas.

RGGI does NOT incentivize fracking. A significant switch to gas (beyond fuel switching already happening for non-RGGI reasons) is unlikely to be triggered by participation in this regional power plant cap-and-trade program.

This is because RGGI incentivizes zero-carbon sources of energy the most. With wind and solar energy more affordable, constructing new natural gas plants would be relatively more expensive than the status quo situation. As for the existing natural gas plants, these power plants are already operating at near maximum capacity and simply cannot absorb a significant increase in gas use, making a build out in renewables a better choice for the environment and for the polluters’ bottom lines.

Renewable energy is becoming more affordable and more of a priority in Virginia, as the amount of renewables in the public interest will increase tenfold to 5,000 MW this summer.

These three RGGI factors — a deterrent to the construction of new gas plants, a lack of capacity in Virginia of existing gas plants, and a clearer path to new renewable energy — mean that the state’s participation in the program would not promote an expansion of natural gas.

So, what is CCAN doing to stop fracked gas expansion?

CCAN has been working hard to end Virginia’s deadly addiction to fracked gas for years. Ever since the announcement of plans to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline, we have done everything we can to stop them. We continue to fight them to this day.

We also are planning to fight new fossil fuel projects in Virginia before they are even announced. We will do this through legislation and grassroots mobilization, under the banner of a “No New Fossil Fuels” pledge. Stay tuned.
In the end, our goal is to make sure that NO dangerous fracked-gas pipelines (current or future) will ever be operational, and our leaders will turn to renewable sources instead. Joining RGGI would make that all the more likely.

More information:

Virginia Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: Youngkin is Dragging Virginia Backwards On Climate

“Wonders of the Wind” Art Show Traveled Maryland in May

Over the past few months, CCAN worked with partners across Maryland to put on an art exhibition called “Wonders of the Wind,” which highlighted the beauty of wind power and the clean energy future. Nineteen artists created sculptures, paintings, and other original work inspired by the prospect of two offshore wind farms coming to our state. The exhibition opened in Ocean City – where the turbines will be installed – and closed in Baltimore – where the manufacturing and assembly will be based.
So, why an art show?
Last year, Maryland took a huge step toward becoming the East Coast hub for offshore wind when our state’s Public Service Commission approved two applications for large wind farms off our coast. These projects promise thousands of jobs and enough energy to power over 500,000 homes. Now, those projects must secure federal permits in order to move forward.
This won’t be an easy fight. There has already been a steady stream of opposition to offshore wind, mainly focused on the aesthetic appearance of wind turbines. Some elected officials have even referred to the turbines as “visual pollution” — to which we say: what about actual pollution?
As an artist and an advocate, I deeply value the power of art to share stories and increase awareness about the critical issues we face today. That’s why I was so excited to work with a coalition of artists and environmental and faith-based allies to organize the “Wonders of the Wind” exhibition to highlight the beauty of wind power and a more just, sustainable future in Maryland.
We hosted receptions in Ocean City and Baltimore where attendees could view artwork, learn more about offshore wind from guest speakers, and even make pinwheels to take home with them as reminders of the wonders of the wind. Scroll down to see photos from these receptions and to view some of the artwork featured in the “Wonders of the Wind” exhibition.

Artists pose in front of the “Wonders of the Wind” backdrop by Alex Dukes, Di’amon Fisher, Grace Marshall, Naomi Wilkins, Stephanie Wallace, and Torianne Montes-Schiff at the Baltimore reception on May 19, 2018 at Seventh Metro Church.

 
Making pinwheels at the Ocean City reception on May 12, 2018 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. (Photo credit: Torianne Montes-Schiff)

 
“The Transition” by Erika Clark focuses on nature’s transition from a populated wasteland to a more healthy setting with wind energy, replacing unhealthy coal emissions.

 
Alexandra Russell painted “A Mother’s Love” for the exhibition. She and her mother attended the Mother’s Day weekend reception in Ocean City. (Photo credit: Torianne Montes-Schiff)

 
Ronald Rucker performs a song inspired by wind power at the Baltimore reception.

 
“la puissance éolienne” by Anna Fine Foer (photo courtesy of artist)

 
Posing with the “Wonders of the Wind” backdrop and holding signs from the 2017 Peoples Climate March.

 
Larry Bannerman of Turner Station Conservation Teams speaks at the Baltimore reception about his career working for BGE and the importance of switching to clean energy. Valeska Populoh’s windsock “Wind Power Now!” can be seen in the top right.

 
“Considering perspective; The Story of Tom Thumbnail” by Kate Hardwicke, Jacob Kenna, and Rebecca Mark plays with size, shape and texture, and serves as a near literal demonstration of the size the wind turbines will appear on the horizon.

 
Mike Pretl, president of the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, spoke about the importance of offshore wind in curbing climate change at the Ocean City reception.

 
“Refer to the Experts” by Barbara Hager encourages viewers to look to the Netherlands’ example of harnessing wind power.

 
A crankie by Emily Schubert entitled, “It Carries So Much for a Weightless Thing.” Schubert writes, “the wind is an element of life often taken for granted, but one that has always carried with it so much potential. My piece involves both literal depiction and an interaction by viewers that takes into consideration humans role in actively choosing to work with the wind to harness and convert its power into energy. Energy is called for on the part of viewer to literally “crank” the wind and cause it to blow across the image and electrical energy is used to backlight the image casting the shadows of the wind. Perhaps one day soon the electrical energy itself could be created by actual wind power! The wind shadows carry with them images of other forms of good this energy creates and will create for local economies, farmers, and a healthier environment.”

 
Posing in front of the “Wonders of the Wind” backdrop at the Baltimore reception.

 
A close-up of Ursula Populoh’s “Blowing in the Wind.” Populoh writes of her piece: “Wind is our natural environment. Wind is everything and everywhere. It can be the soft breeze we welcome on a summer day, it can be the devastating hurricane that destroys everything in its path. Wind was needed for the sails of the explorer’s ship; wind was needed for the wheels of the windmills. Wind was the power used for millenia until the so-called technological advances abandoned it. Now, we seem to have come to our senses and will harness the wind’s strength again. Fossil fuels have harmed our natural environment – wind power is a natural force to be used. We seem to be on the right path.” (Photo credit: Torianne Montes-Schiff)

 
Artwork left to right: “Power in the Wind” by Irene K. S. Whitaker; “It’s wind, hon” by Emily Tokarowski; “A Mother’s Love” by Alexandra Russell; “Harmony with the Sea” by Marina R. Feeser; and “Field Dance” by Katie Lautar.

VA delegates and senators support "Stand with Red"

Yesterday, more than a dozen Virginia delegates and senators joined the chorus of landowners, activists, and faith communities in voicing their opposition to the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast Pipelines.
Dubbed Stand with Red day, the event sought to highlight cruel attempts by the pipeline companies, with the support of Virginia’s law enforcement agencies, to starve “Red” Terry — a mother in Roanoke County. She has been sitting in a tree on her own property with her daughter refusing to leave until the pipeline companies themselves depart the land that her family has called home for seven generations.
The event, organized by Northern Virginia-based attorney and journalist Jon Sokolow, included eleven state delegates and two senators. They all urged Governor Northam to fulfill his 2017 campaign promise to be “very cognizant” of property rights, and to demand that his Department of Environmental Quality undergo “site-specific” permitting processes.
“Let me be clear,” said Blacksburg Delegate Chris Hurst, “it should not be up to landowners, who have already had their land taken through invalid eminent domain procedures to make sure Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC does its job correctly. It should be our state agencies who lead that effort.”
Stand with Red day is not only an addition to the litany of protests against the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines which are seen on a regular basis, it is the culmination of years of work hammering away at Dominion, EQT, and the elected officials that do their bidding. It marks a definitive shift in Virginia’s political culture — which until recently was completely imprinted with the self-interest of Dominion, EQT, and other big polluters. Let there be no mistake about this, Virginia’s shifting political climate is due to nothing less than the countless hours and sacrifices made by activists, landowners, and whole communities to stop these pipelines in their path for the past three years.
“The word MVP should no longer be used to refer to them”, said 35th District Delegate Mark Keam as he addressed the booming crowd. “They are nothing close to what an MVP should be. The word MVP belongs to Red, her husband, and everybody else that is standing up. All of you here today are the real Most Valuable Players.”
To make a donation to the treetop rebellion resistance CLICK HERE. If you are inspired become a volunteer monitor to scrutinize every regulation that these pipelines break CLICK HERE to learn more about being trained!
 

Pipelines: The Treetop Rebellion

The biggest regional land-clearing project since the federal highway program of the 1960s is now underway in Virginia and West Virginia. Fracked-gas companies Dominion Energy and EQT have been chain-sawing wide swaths of forests to make room for the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines (MVP and ACP). In the process, the companies are destroying ecosystems, ruining human livelihoods, and shocking the public’s conscience.  And they’re just getting started.
Here’s the plot twist: Communities are fighting back…and winning!
Young people have bravely tied themselves to treetops to stop the MVP chainsaws in parts of Virginia and West Virginia. (You gotta, gotta, gotta watch this video). And a sympathetic local judge has made a surprise ruling in their favor, as you’ll see below. And just yesterday, a 61-year-old mother of three took to a tree on Virginia’s Poor Mountain to protest the pipeline for “as long as it takes.”
Then last week, in a stunning move, a key federal regulator told Dominion Energy to put away the ACP chainsaws completely until at least late summer. Why? The de-facto message from the feds: No corporation can ignore restrictions meant to protect vulnerable migratory birds just to satisfy nervous company executives and shareholders who see the rising protests and an ACP construction schedule that is falling further and further behind!
But it’s not all good news. Despite Governor Ralph Northam’s promise to hold these pipelines to the “highest environmental standards,” the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality late last week approved final and flawed environmental plans for construction of the 303-mile-long Mountain Valley Pipeline. About the same time, in one of the most heartbreaking moments yet, the MVP companies ripped down a wide stretch of forest trees on the property of George Jones. George is a wheelchair-bound Korean War veteran whose Giles County land has been in his family for ten generations. This Facebook post will make you cry.
Meanwhile, of the 600-mile path for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Dominion has already clear-cut about 200 miles of land the width of a six-lane highway across parts of West Virginia and Virginia. And the company doesn’t even HAVE its final approval from Virginia regulators. Talk about arrogant!
But then, on March 28, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission refused Dominion’s behind-schedule plea to keep cutting trees during the critical migratory season for such birds as the red-tailed hawk and cerulean warbler. Defending the birds as well as endangered bat habitat, FERC said there can be no more tree cutting until late August at the soonest, giving protesters more time to make their public case against this reckless pipeline.
That’s why we are asking all Virginians to sign up to be part of a “watchful army” of citizen monitors tracking every single move the pipeline companies make on the ground.
What is the “watchful army”? The largest and best organized program we’ve ever heard of that is dedicated to supporting citizen efforts to monitor pipeline construction and operations on the ground and from the air. The brainchild of legendary Virginia activist Rick Webb, anyone concerned about harm from the ACP can sign up to be part of the Compliance Surveillance Initiative. Along the MVP route, groups have launched Mountain Valley Watch to monitor every step that EQT takes. The efforts will involve hundreds of volunteer observers across Virginia and West Virginia monitoring construction and reporting any violations. Citizen pilots are already flying planes above clear-cutting activities with high-resolution cameras. Activists on the ground are launching all manner of drones to get even closer with photos and video.
The result? Photographs of apparent construction, erosion, and tree-cutting violations have already been submitted to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for investigation. And notices of violations have already been issued against Dominion, with fines likely to follow. It’s always been unclear just how Dominion and EQT can remove the tops of entire mountain ranges for their pipelines (yes, that’s their plan) and stay within state and federal regulations for environmental protection.
With legions of people like you watching their every move, the answer may be this: they can’t.
Don’t forget to watch this video of the “tree sitters” on Peters Mountain in West Virginia, protesting the MVP tree cuts. When the pipeline companies tried to get Monroe County Circuit Court judge Robert Irons to remove the protestors, the judge said this: “There is no showing that there is a national shortage of gas, an emergency requiring immediate need of delivery of gas…or some other factor causing irreparable harm.”
In fact, the judge continued, the public’s interest is more closely aligned with the tree-sitters. The protestors “generally represent the interest of the public and the environment, such as the interest in protecting the waters underlying Peters Mountain, its flora and fauna, its view shed, the Appalachian Trail and similar interests that will or may be destroyed, if this request for a preliminary injunction is granted.”
Let those words sink in for a moment. It’s the beautiful sound of the TRUTH, spoken from someone whose sworn responsibility is to judge right from wrong. The protestors absolutely DO represent the public interest – against climate change, against greed, against harm to innocent farmers and landowners, against damage to drinking water.
Which is why MORE tree-sitting protests are being planned even as we speak, all along the MVP and ACP routes. Again, read this story and watch this interview with 61-year-old “Red” perched in a tree on Poor Mountain. Here’s the bottom line: You can’t build a pipeline if you can’t cut the trees. And even if you can cut the trees, what comes next is unprecedented in American history: trained citizen observers with clipboards, phones, planes, and even drones will watch every step the companies take. The question remains: Can any company actually construct radical pipelines – 42 inches thick – over steep mountain ridges and under delicate mountain streams while actually following the law? Or will dedicated citizens like you and me – committed to justice and environmental sanity – stop the companies in their tracks?
Now, the movement needs YOU. There are two things you can do:

I, for one, am all in. I support the protesters. I’m joining the monitoring teams. Won’t you do the same? Isn’t this fight worth your time and money?
I know you’ll join us.
-Mike Tidwell

Take a Stand for Our Water – Join Our Social Media Campaign for #MyPotomac!

We need you to help save the Potomac River.
Governor Hogan is handing over our clean drinking water to the fossil fuel industry. How? A Canadian oil company called TransCanada wants to build a pipeline to carry fracked gas underneath the treasured Potomac, the drinking water source for millions of people. Rather than ensuring that our drinking water be protected, Hogan has basically been TransCanada’s biggest cheerleader.
Read more information about the history behind this fight, and how Hogan is handing the review process to Trump agency officials in this blog post.
Now, we’re running out of time to stop it. The Hogan Administration has until March 15 to issue its decision. So we need to put on the pressure.
That’s where you come in. We need you to speak up and spread the word to stop this pipeline. We need you to show EVERYONE — from Governor Hogan to your next-door neighbor — what the Potomac River means to you
We’re asking you to take part in the #MyPotomac social media campaign. It’s simple: post a picture that showcases what the Potomac River means to you. Let your friends and neighbors know why we need to STOP TransCanada’s Potomac Pipeline.
Add your voice to protect our water, our communities, and our climate.

How to participate? It’s easy!

Step 1. Take or find a picture of the Potomac River.

This can be a picture of you, your family, friends, home, or a photo of you by the Potomac River. If you can, include a sign or message about stopping the Potomac Pipeline. You can make a sign yourself or print out our No Potomac Pipeline signs — anything related to stopping this natural gas pipeline works. If you’re not planning any Potomac trips in the near future, you can find an old favorite!
Here are two optional signs you can print and use to hold: Click here for downloadable posters.
Or share a picture of ours! Click here for an album of downloadable pictures.

Step 2. Tell your story.

Tell your friends what the Potomac River means to you, and explain why you’re fighting to protect it. This can be as short or as long as you like.

Step 3. Tag Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in your post.

The goal of this campaign is to spread the word — and make those in power hear our voices. Right now, that’s Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. Hogan has the power to stop this pipeline. To boost your voice, we encourage you to tag Hogan’s social media handle in your post to make sure he sees your message. On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, use the @ symbol to tag him. Write a post that’s convincing and speaks from the heart, tell Gov. Hogan why YOU want to stop this pipeline. If you need some help, see the sample posts below to spark some ideas of your own.
Hogan’s Handles:

Step 4. Tell your friends.

Tag your friends, encourage them to share your post or create a post of their own to spread the word and amplify our message that we do not want or need the Potomac Pipeline, we want to keep fossil fuels in the ground to protect our climate and our communities.
When you’re ready to post:

  1. Upload your photo to every social media platform you use (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
  2. In the caption, don’t forget to tag Governor Larry Hogan and please use the hashtag #MyPotomac. Also  consider including the optional hashtag #NoPotomacPipeline.

Examples:

Sample Facebook Posts:

  • This is #MyPotomac. @Governor Larry Hogan, we need you to save it. That means rejecting fracked-gas pipelines that threaten the beauty and safety of our water. #NoPotomacPipeline
  • Here’s why #MyPotomac matters to me: [ADD YOUR PERSONAL STORY.] @Governor Larry Hogan, please protect the Potomac and stop TransCanada’s dirty fracked-gas pipeline. #NoPotomacPipeline
  • I’m fighting to save #MyPotomac. @Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland banned fracking. We cannot allow a pipeline carrying fracked gas to pass through our state. Will you keep your fracking promise and reject the Potomac Pipeline? #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline
  • With climate change wreaking havoc on our country last year, it’s clear we need to do something. That means keeping fossil fuels in the ground. @Governor Larry Hogan, will you keep your word and reject the Potomac Pipeline?  #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline
  • Hey @Governor Larry Hogan, don’t be fooled by TransCanada’s false promises of jobs and economic growth from the Potomac Pipeline. We know that this pipeline only benefits one, and that’s TransCanada. Our water is too important to put it in an Oil & Gas company’s hands. Do the right thing and reject the Potomac Pipeline #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline

Sample Twitter Posts:

  • The health and safety of #MyPotomac River matters to me. @Governor Larry Hogan, please protect the Potomac and stop TransCanada’s dirty fracked-gas pipeline. #NoPotomacPipeline
  • We know pipelines leak and spill. A pipeline has no place underneath the Potomac River. I want to protect #MyPotomac for me and for future generations. @LarryHogan, will you reject the PotomacPipeline? #NoPotomacPipeline
  • .@LarryHogan you promised to ban fracking in MD. Why would you then let a fracked gas pipeline run underneath our Potomac River? Please stand up for our clean water. #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline
  • Governor @LarryHogan, you banned fracking over potential risks to our land and water. Will you keep your fracking promise and reject the Potomac Pipeline? #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline
  • Our water is too important to risk. @LarryHogan, the Potomac Pipeline would threaten the drinking water for millions across MD, DC, & WV. Do the right thing. #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline @CCAN
  • The Potomac Pipeline is owned by @TransCanada, which also owns #KeystoneXL & has a long record of disastrous spills. @LarryHogan, you must be a leader and reject the Potomac Pipeline for our safety. #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline @CCAN @PotomacRiver

Sample Instagram Posts:

  • This is #MyPotomac River. I love to kayak, fish, and swim. Governor @change_maryland, a pipeline spill from the Potomac Pipeline would change things forever. We know TransCanada’s pipelines leak and spill constantly. Will you deny the 401 certification for the pipeline and protect our water? #NoPotomacPipeline
  • I’m fighting to save #MyPotomac from pipelines. This is important to me because I want the river to be enjoyed for me and future generations. Gov. @change_maryland, please protect the Potomac and stop TransCanada’s dirty fracked-gas pipeline. #NoPotomacPipeline
  • Gov. @change_maryland, we took a stand to protect MD citizens & environment from fracking. Let’s not nullify this progress with a hazardous fracked gas pipeline under the Potomac! Reject the Potomac Pipeline! #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline
  • Hey Governor @change_maryland, the review process for TransCanada’s Potomac Pipeline has been flawed from the start. We need a full environmental review to see the potential impacts this pipeline would have on our state. Do the right thing for our water. #MyPotomac #NoPotomacPipeline

Step 5: Stay updated!

Sign up today to get updates on the “No Potomac Pipeline” campaign, and we’ll contact you with important updates and action items you can take to support this campaign.

Social Media Best Practices & Tips:

Other Ways to Get Involved:

Once you’ve posted to social media, here are a few more steps you can take to stand with us against the Potomac Pipeline.

  • Submit electronic comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on their Potomac Pipeline environmental assessment (EA). Learn more from our friends at Potomac Riverkeeper here.
  • Join us for the huge rally at Governor Hogan’s mansion in Annapolis on February 15. RSVP here.

Campaign to Resist the Potomac Pipeline Grows Stronger

The “No Potomac Pipeline” campaign began in early 2017 as a broad coalition of citizens, elected officials, and environmental advocates came together to stop TransCanada’s proposed pipeline under the Potomac River.The Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project, known as the “Potomac Pipeline,” could threaten the drinking water of millions of people in the region. Its construction would require a drilling method called Hydraulic Directional Drilling, which uses millions of gallons of bentonite slick water, typically laced with diesel fuel, to drill longitudinally under rivers and other structures.
The entire pipeline project would impact 19 streams and 10 wetlands in Maryland and 100 streams and wetlands in West Virginia. The risk in this region is  exacerbated by the sensitive karst limestone geology underneath the river, characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves, and openings that could allow for the migration of pollutants into underground aquifers.
Landowners in the pipeline’s path are concerned for their direct safety and impacts to their property values. If a severe accident like a pipeline explosion occurs, the blast radius could be up to a half a mile. But for some, the pipeline is routed to come within 500 feet of their homes.
Landowners like Patricia Kesecker, a West Virginia farmer, are concerned about the use of eminent domain to acquire private land for a private pipeline company. The Kesecker family has been sued over access to their property, while the family wholeheartedly rejects a pipeline crossing their land.
For other environmentalists, opposition to the pipeline is an imperative to act on climate change by moving away from fossil fuel energy and towards clean, renewable energy. This pipeline would deepen our dependence on fossil fuels at a time when scientists agree that we must transform our energy system to maintain the stability of our climate.
The fight against the Potomac Pipeline really kicked off in June 2017, when the coalition announced a series of camp outs along the C&O canal to draw attention to the pipeline’s risks. Inspired by Standing Rock protests, more than 100 activists from Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia camped out to voice their opposition to the pipeline over the course of the summer.
In August, the protest encampments reached their peak with “kayaktivism.” Over 100 residents came together to support protesters paddling in kayaks down the Potomac River, calling on Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to reject the pipeline.
On October 14th, 2017, over 300 Maryland and West Virginia residents came together and held hands across the James Rumsey bridge that sits over the Potomac River and connects the towns of Sharpsburg, Maryland and Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It was a powerful display of unity against TransCanada’s planned Potomac Pipeline, which is currently routed to run underneath the Potomac River.
In December, 200 landowners and advocates came together to testify at a Maryland Department of the Environment public hearing on the pipeline permit. If Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is serious about protecting Maryland’s clean water, he must direct his administration to deny the water permit necessary for its construction.
And on January 22nd, 2018, the coalition made another stand at the second MDE hearing on the pipeline in Hancock, MD — but this time, it was to boycott the hearing.
Hogan Administration officials have been neither fair or transparent in how they’re dealing with this pipeline. They have refused to carry out a full environmental review as permitted under the Clean Water Act. Instead, they intend to hand over most of the pipeline permitting process to Trump agency officials. This would ignore the sensitive nature of the region, as well the immense importance of the Potomac River as a key drinking water source for millions of people. That’s why a coalition of environmental organizations including CCAN, the Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch, Potomac Riverkeeper, Waterkeepers Chesapeake, and others have come together to boycott this flawed regulatory process, and why hundreds of people from all walks of life have come together to oppose it.
Hundreds of people from all walks of life have come together to oppose the Potomac Pipeline. The Hogan Administration must carry out a full assessment of this pipeline’s impacts to our land and water — which we’re confident would show that it simply cannot be done safely.
But the clock is running out to stop it, we have until March 15 before a final decision is made. From now until then, we’ll be posting to social media to connect with decision makers and our neighbors to spread the word and STOP this pipeline to protect our water, our communities, and our climate.
Help keep the momentum going by adding your voice, and pictures, to our #MyPotomac campaign.
 

What Will Accelerate US Solar Adoption?

Written by Kyle Pennell from PowerScout (a marketplace that lets you compare multiple quotes for home solar installations)

While the United States solar industry continues to grow, creating sustainable power and job opportunities nationwide, it has a long way to go before it is on par with European countries like Germany, where solar is cheaper and more widespread.
The United States can close the solar gap by examining the solar learning curve, increasing state-based government incentives, embracing community solar, and passing laws which will see an increased solar carve out applied to the Renewable Portfolio Standard of each state.

The Solar Learning Curve

Solar hardware has been falling in cost consistently since 1977. Back then, at the beginning of the Jimmy Carter presidential administration, solar panels sold at a rate of $76.67 per Watt. Fast forward to today, and you see panels selling for less than $1 per Watt. The price of panels has fallen more than 50% since 2008, and over 100% since 1977 (more on these costs at PowerScout)
By accurately predicting this ongoing decrease, the solar industry can focus advertising efforts and plan for increased production brought about by demand. But how does one predict such things? In the solar world, it’s actually quite easy.
The solar learning curve, or experience curve, is a trackable industry pattern in which for every cumulative doubling of production volume, solar PV hardware has seen an average decrease of 20%. This is a symbiotic relationship which perfectly explains solar cost trends. As more installations occur, the price falls. As the price falls, more people book installations.
Tracking the learning curve will help solar companies focus their marketing efforts and anticipate demand.

Import Tariffs Could Cause Solar Disruption

While states should be embracing laws that help the spread of solar adoption, they should also be fighting against those that would hinder it.
In January, a new situation arose which could threaten the spread of solar adoption and offset the industry’s steady price decrease. The International Trade Commission ruled last year that solar panels produced in China serve as a detriment to the American solar production industry. This ruling gave the White House authority to impose increased tariffs on imported panels, thus potentially causing the price of solar systems in the US to rise. US President Donald Trump passed those tariffs into law on January 22, 2018. Now, all imported solar panels will see a first year tariff of 30%, followed by 25% in the second year, 20% in the third year, and 15% in the fourth. This first year tariff will add 10-15 cents per watt onto every foreign panel, increasing the price of a 7 kW system by over $1,000.   
While this could, in theory, benefit domestic solar panel producers who struggle to compete with China’s low prices, it could stand to offset the nation’s renewable energy efforts. In fact, the SEIA estimates that the decision will actually cause the loss of 23,000 American jobs.
Affordability equates to adoption, and by placing roadblocks in the path of progress, the United States could start to see the European solar market widen the gap.

Pass Laws to Increase Solar Carve Outs

Many states have what is known as a Renewable Portfolio Standard, which requires a set increase in the amount of their renewable energy production. Each RPS contains a solar carve out, which sets a percentage goal for power generated by solar panels.
In Maryland, where the RPS is 25% by 2020, the solar carve out is only 2.5%. Newly proposed legislation, spearheaded by local non-profit organizations is calling for an increase of the state’s solar carve out to 14.5%. They are also seeking to up the state’s RPS to 50% by 2030. Such a dramatic increase would do well to spread the adoption of solar throughout Maryland.
States who increase their solar carve out are helping to spread solar adoption to the masses. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who first called on the Maryland state government to enact these increases, stated that such a change would provide an investment in health, climate, jobs and equality.

Community Solar

Not everyone can install a solar system on their roof. Citizens with unsuitable roofs or rental properties can still take advantage of solar savings with a community solar program.
Community solar is popping up all over the country, wherein individuals can subscribe to energy generated by a large communal solar panel farm. The power generated by the panels you are renting is then applied to your electric bill. Community solar allows for the use of renewable energy, even for those who cannot afford installation costs.
Some states, like Maryland, have proposed pilot programs to bring community solar initiatives to its residents, with the goal of bringing the benefit of solar power to low and moderate income users. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network has also been working hard to increase community solar programs throughout Maryland, dubbing it “Solar for Everyone.”

More Incentives Nationwide

Government incentives help to make solar energy more attractive to homeowners. Unfortunately, incentives tend to vary state by state. Thus, even though many states have ideal conditions for solar power, because the state government has not embraced this technology, we see less rollout.
Take Michigan for example. Detroit sees average period of sunlight in excess of four hours per day. That, coupled with the state’s lower temperatures make for an ideal solar environment. But with virtually no government aid, Michigan homeowners see far less solar penetration than states such as New York and California.
Some common and helpful incentives that make solar more affordable for homeowners include property tax and sales tax exemption.
When solar is installed in a home, property values rise. Normally, this kind of upswing would be accompanied by a bill from your local tax assessor. But many states have decided to overlook this and free residents from an increased financial burden.
Sales tax exemptions are also helpful. For a state with a sales tax rate of 7.5%, a $20,000 PV solar system would come with an additional $1,500 tacked on. That’s a large amount of money, and its elimination could make or break a homeowner’s decision to install solar.
One way in which we can catch up to European nations would be to govern solar incentives on the federal level, rather than state, to ensure that all US residents are able to afford renewable energy. In Germany, for example, solar is overseen by a uniform national system, making adoption easier across the entire country.

No More Lac-Megantics! We Need Safe Rails and Sustainable Communities

Last week, a small but mighty group braved the bomb cyclone in DC to rally for rail safety outside the Canadian Embassy. We were there to stand in solidarity with the scapegoated rail workers currently on trial for the deadly 2013 crude oil train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec.
On July 6, 2013, a freight train carrying 72 tank cars of crude oil derailed in the small town of Lac-Megantic. Many of the town’s residents were gathered at a local bar for a birthday party when the runaway train barreled into downtown a little after 1:00 in the morning. When the train derailed at a sharp curve in the tracks, its highly flammable cargo exploded and wrought devastation, killing 47 people, orphaning 27 children, destroying 44 buildings, and leaving 160 people homeless.
Over four years later, the criminal trials for this tragedy are about to conclude. Yet the wrong people are being blamed. 
The rail company that operated the ill-fated train, Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway Ltd. (MMA), is not being held accountable for its dangerous policies and poor safety regulations that made the derailment inevitable. Instead, rail workers Tom Harding and Richard Labrie each face one count of criminal negligence causing the death of 47 people in the Lac-Mégantic crash.
While the prosecution has focused on the number of hand brakes that engineer Harding applied on the train before parking it for the night, the Transportation Safety Board report on the disaster paints a more comprehensive picture. After reviewing the TSB report, a chemical engineer at the Université de Sherbrooke concluded, “the company has tolerated improper braking practices, did not provide appropriate braking practice and did not ensure the employees were properly trained and demonstrated that they understood the training.”
What else do we know about the conditions that led to the derailment? The train was illegally overloaded, weighing 2,800 tonnes over the legal limit. There was a mechanical breakdown on the locomotive two days before the derailment, but MMA officials allowed the train to operate anyway. And the inspector of the locomotive had little experience, only having begun inspecting trains solo a few weeks before.
Yet the policy that most rail safety advocates point to as the key culprit in this case is the inherently dangerous one-person crew practice imposed soon before the tragedy. To increase profits, rail companies like MMA have been decreasing crews from four, three, or two people to only one person. When MMA made this change, the only action the company took to protect that remaining one-person crew member was to require the installation of a mirror on the conductor’s side of the train.
That’s right: a mirror was expected to replace a second and even third skilled worker.
Though it is clear that lax regulations and unsafe railroad management policies led to the tragedy in Lac-Megantic, engineer Tom Harding and traffic controller Richard Labrie are facing exclusive blame for the incident. They face life in prison for a tragedy that their employer made inevitable by cutting corners. Further, if the workers are convicted of criminal negligence, the reckless policies and lack of regulatory oversight that caused the disaster will not be changed. The conditions that led to the tragedy in Lac-Megantic will remain the norm, continuing to put communities along rail lines in danger.
In Baltimore, we have an opportunity to make real progress in the fight against dangerous crude oil trains. In October, 11 members of the City Council introduced an ordinance to zone out new crude oil terminals, which will limit dangerous crude-by-rail traffic in the city while protecting our climate from this polluting crude oil. 
Click here to learn more and take action with the CCAN Action Fund.

Virginia Water Control Board Vote Today: Dominion CANNOT Build Controversial Pipeline in VA Without More Study

Last-minute Delay of Permit Seen as Positive Step by Landowners and Environmentalists in Fight Over Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline for Fracked Gas

More Information Needed, Board Says. Decision is a Rebuke of Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Unwavering Support for the Controversial Pipeline; CCAN Looks to Governor-elect Northam’s Administration to Protect Virginia’s Waters

Summary: Bowing to unprecedented opposition from landowners and environmentalists, the Virginia State Water Control Board today threw a wrench in the plans of Governor Terry McAuliffe and Dominion Energy to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline for fracked gas. The board voted 4-3 to approve the project under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, but dependent on a final review of several environmental studies. The vote delays Dominion’s plan to begin near-term construction of the 600-mile pipeline. The decision likely means this issue will be delayed into 2018 and into the administration of Governor-elect Ralph Northam, who has taken a less openly supportive stance on the pipeline due to environmental concerns.
Statement from Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“In a setback for notorious polluter Dominion Energy, the Virginia State Water Control Board today sided with landowners and environmentalists in calling for more rigorous and comprehensive review of the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline. After being ignored for years by Governor Terry McAuliffe and Dominion, the voices of everyday Virginians were finally heard and we will work tirelessly to make sure all the facts can come to the table. CCAN and our allies have argued all along that any science-based and transparent review of all the harmful impacts of the ACP can only result in official and final denial of Dominion’s radical pipeline for fracked gas.

“Now Virginians are counting on the Administration of Governor-elect Ralph Northam to do what the McAuliffe Administration failed to do: let science and the law guide decision-making on the pipeline.”

Background:
The Board bucked enormous pressure from Governor McAuliffe’s Administration, which was pressuring Board members to approve the pipeline without undergoing the in-depth analysis that a project at this scale requires. The Board voted to delay certification for the pipeline until after the Governor’s Department of Environmental Quality can review and give final approval to erosion and sediment control plans, stormwater management plans, and studies of sensitive karst terrain. While an outright denial of the project was warranted, the Board’s decision delays the project.
Unfortunately, the same Board approved the equally controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline for fracked gas last week. CCAN and three other groups immediately filed a lawsuit against that decision. Our hope is that today’s ACP delay could bring a similar regulatory delay to the MVP process, but there is uncertainty on this front.
Thousands of Virginians have mobilized over the past three years to stand against the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. See fact sheet here. Over 17,000 community members submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission against the MVP during the public comment period, and over 21,000 submitted comments to FERC about the ACP. Additionally, over 53,000 people nationwide — including thousands of Virginians — have signed on to a Change.org petition calling on Governor McAuliffe to reject the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. Activists have garnered opposition from all walks of life, from faith leaders to military veterans and more. The mobilization against the pipelines has also included civil disobedience, with 23 Virginians getting arrested outside the Governor’s mansion in 2016 and 19 arrested for barring the entrance to the Department of Environmental Quality office in Richmond this September.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 12, 2017
CONTACT: Mike Tidwell, Executive Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org
Anne Havemann, General Counsel, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-396-1984
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 608-620-8819, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org

What the Water Control Board hearings really tell us

On Thursday, December 7, the Virginia Water Control Board voted to certify that there was “reasonable assurance” that the Mountain Valley Pipeline would not harm Virginia’s water quality, subject to about a dozen conditions. Two board members — Roberta Kellam and Nissa Dean — dissented, while five voted in favor.
The entire process extremely problematic. The Board was missing at least three critical pieces of information: (1) complete karst studies; (2) a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, which looks at impacts to streams, wetlands, other waters of the United States; and (3) site-specific erosion and sediment control and stormwater management plans.
Throughout the hearing, Board members themselves expressed concern that they were being asked to “put the cart before the horse.”
In reviewing the Mountain Valley Pipeline (and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline), the DEQ developed a new permitting process. Last week’s hectic decision made it clear that both the DEQ and the Water Control Board did not completely understand the new process and its implications. This new pipeline permitting process for the first time considered “upland activities,” that is, what happens to water quality when you clear steep mountains of all vegetation, and deferred to the U.S. Army Corps’ review of stream crossings.
At the State Water Control Board meeting, some board members, led by Robert Wayland, expressed skepticism that the Army Corps’ review would be sufficient to protect water quality — no matter if the Army Corps issues the same blanket one-size-fits-all permit it issues for most pipeline projects or actually does an individual review. The board attached an amendment to the permit that attempted to preserve its right to review stream crossings after the Army Corps issues its permit. The idea would be that the DEQ would present to the Water Control Board about whether the Army Corps permit was good enough, and, if not, the state could do its own review. It’s not clear, however, whether this attempt by the board to preserve its right to review stream crossings will stick. MVP now has a 401 certification that it can take to FERC. If FERC allows MVP to proceed, the state of Virginia would have to ask FERC for a rehearing, FERC could issue a tolling order, and the process could drag on while MVP starts to build. More broadly, this was the Board’s chance to look at the cumulative impacts to water quality from upland activities plus stream crossings, and it failed to look at the big picture.
The Board added a couple of additional conditions that aren’t too clear, related to expanding the width for a stream crossing and about successor-in-interest liability.
Governor McAuliffe and his administration have had their thumb on the scale for these projects from the very beginning, and that was evident at the hearing.
Why was McAuliffe’s DEQ asking the Board to make its decision without so muchcritical information? At one point, a Board member asked to see an Executive Summary of a not-yet-complete karst study. Maybe the Board members read that over their lunch break?
A lawyer from the Attorney General’s office also advised the Water Control Board to act quickly. During deliberations, the permit was projected onto the wall and changes were made using track changes. The vote itself was confusing. It was not clear who voted for and against the amended permit until the public insisted, and the chairman acquiesced, to a roll call vote. The entire process was rushed, hectic, and confusing.
Yesterday’s outcome is beyond disappointing, though not entirely unexpected given McAuliffe’s full-throated support for these pipelines. We’ll have to see what happens at tomorrow’s hearing on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline… but we now have a better sense of what to expect.