Last week, CCAN invited oil train activist Marilaine Savard down to our region to attend a series of events. Marilaine is from Lac-Megantic, Quebec, and unintentionally became an activist and spokesperson to stop oil trains across the country. That’s because she lived through the deadliest oil train disaster in history. In July 2013, Lac-Megantic was changed forever, when an unattended 74-car crude oil train derailed and exploded in their small town, killing 47 people. Since then, she has advocated for rail safety and climate justice in the San Francisco Bay area, Albany, NY, Pittsburgh, PA, and now Baltimore, MD.
Marilaine Savard, from Lac-Megantic, and Keisha Allen discuss issues facing their communities and stopping oil trains.
Thursday morning Marilaine came to the office to meet everyone at CCAN and eat breakfast, and after coffee and bagels we left for Annapolis. We arrived in Annapolis to meet Jennifer Kunze (a former CCAN Fellow, now an organizer with Clean Water Action) for an event with Delegate Clarence Lam about oil trains and his recently introduced bill, the Rail Safety Act of 2016. We had a small but mighty audience who attended and learned about Marilaine’s story. Marilaine shared her story, Delegate Lam introduced and outlined his bill, and Frtiz Elder, a representative from Railroad Workers United discussed policy initiatives that workers are concerned about, specifically calling for more crew members on the train.
After that, we drove to the neighborhood of Westport in South Baltimore, to meet up with Keisha Allen, president of the Westport Neighborhood Association. Keisha met us with her neighbor, Doug, and we walked from her house to the tracks, about two blocks away, and discussed the problem. This was a highlight of the trip for me. It was powerful to connect the two of them, since Lac-Megantic and Westport have almost the same exact curve in the tracks that border their community. It was a true moment of solidarity that we rarely get to experience. They also discussed how it’s hard for low-income communities to advocate for change, and Keisha discussed some of the other issues facing the community, like asthma from pollution, trash, and poverty. Before heading back to Lac-Megantic, Marilaine stopped by Clean Water Action Baltimore for an interview with WYPR.
After, we went to Charles Village for the town hall. It was a really powerful and moving event, with over 70 people in attendance. Marilaine’s story touched everyone in the room, everyone was moved with her account of the experience. Next, Paul Plymouth, from the City Council President’s office spoke about the City Council’s recent action, introducing an ordinance that requires public disclosure of health and safety risks from oil trains in the city. You could tell he was genuinely moved by Marilaine’s presentation. Fritz Edler from Railroad Workers United was there as well and discussed the labor perspective, and why railroad workers should partner with climate groups to fight against oil trains. He also shared images of the 47 memorials in Lac-Megantic made for those who died. Finally, attendees from Residents Against the Tunnels (RATT) discussed the B&P Tunnel Project that they are opposing in the Resovoir Hill neighborhood. Throughout the evening, we generated hand written letters to Mayor Rawlings-Blake asking for her to sign the ordinance once it’s adopted by the City Council. After the event, people seemed genuinely moved and interested in taking action, especially by taking photographs of trains in their communities.
The next morning, Marilaine and I headed up to Baltimore to record an interview with Tom Pelton for WYPR’s “Environment in Focus” radio show, which aired yesterday. We were with Tom for about an hour to discuss Marilaine’s story and Delegate Lam’s Rail Safety Act. After that, I dropped her off at the airport and we said our goodbye’s. She was extremely grateful, and said she felt really good coming down here to do these presentations. Even though it was hard for her to share her story, she was extremely moved by our organizing and is excited to continue the fight.
To join in the fight against oil trains in Baltimore, and to find out how you can volunteer, let us know! If you see an oil train in your neighborhood, be sure to take a picture and email it to jon@chesapeakeclimate.org.
This morning, the Prince George’s County Council’s Planning, Zoning and Economic Development (PZED) Committee voted UNANIMOUSLY to pass bill 3-2016, a defacto ban on fracking in the county.
We are one step closer to keeping fracking out of Prince George’s! The full council will take the bill up in early March. Councilwoman Lehman and Councilwoman Glaros, and students from University of Maryland College park, who joined us to testify and show their support.
The bill, introduced by Councilwoman Mary Lehman on February 2nd, and co-sponsored by Councilwoman Dannielle Glaros, Councilman Mel Franklin, Councilwoman Deni Tavares, and Councilman Todd Turner, would amend the county’s zoning ordinance to prohibit fracking. Montgomery County moved to do this last year.
As she introduced the bill at today’s hearing, Councilwoman Lehman referenced a heart wrenching conversation she’d had with Pennsylvania resident and fracking victim Craig Stevens just before walking in. Craig’s takeaway from years of living with the health effects of fracking in his own backyard? “If Pennsylvania, after 12 years, still can’t safely regulate fracking, there’s no way Maryland can. It can’t be done.”
CCAN and our allies at Food & Water Watch, the Sierra Club and GCAN first began talks with Councilwoman Lehman shortly after helping Maryland pass the first legislative moratorium on fracking in the country last spring. It became clear to us that when this moratorium expires, in October 2017, Prince George’s would be at risk. The southern 30% of Prince George’s sits on top of the Taylorsville gas basin, a basin that runs from Virginia, through Prince George’s, and ends in Anne Arundel County. More than 85,000 acres on the Virginia side of the Taylorsville have already been leased to a Texas-based company.
This fall, we worked with Councilwoman Lehman’s office to hold an educational briefing on this previously unknown threat to the county, and our coalition began working with our volunteers across the county to educate residents about this critical issue – including petitioning on campuses, speaking at community events, meeting with business owners and church leaders, and hosting screenings of the powerful fracking documentary Groundswell Rising. Much of that work culminated in this morning’s committee hearing. CCAN Fracking Fellow Darien Pusey testifying in favor of 3-2016.
As Darien Pusey, CCAN’s Fracking Fellow and a Prince George’s County resident, testified to the climate impacts of fracking and the overwhelming support from the county for keeping this industry out, he slid a stack of over 800 petitions signed by county residents across the table to Chairwoman Andrea Harrison.
As Food & Water Watch’s Emily Wurth, also a Prince George’s County resident, testified to what other states have experienced at the hands of fracking, she delivered a letter of support signed by over 25 county organizations and businesses. Sierra Club’s Martha Ainsworth spoke to the potential impact of fracking on well water in the county. Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment’s Katie Huffling spoke to the dangerous health effects of fracking, in particular, in her role as a certified nurse-midwife, on pregnant women and their unborn children. And Maryland realtor Lili Sheeline spoke to the potential impacts of fracking on property values across the county, citing a recent Duke University study showing a sharp decline in home values, and noting that many studies indicate that impacts on home values may be permanent. This expert testimony was delivered to a packed room that stayed for two hours to express their support.
Councilman Franklin, whose district covers nearly the entirety of the area above the basin, spoke in favor of the bill, noting that he hasn’t heard from a single constituent in his district who wanted fracking.
The industry – in the form of the Maryland Petroleum Council – did send a lengthy power point to the council in advance of the hearing, but failed to show up to make their case.
And after the vote, Councilwoman Lehman joined Councilwoman Glaros, whose district includes the University of Maryland at College Park, for a group photo with the half a dozen UMD students who drove out to testify and show their support this morning.
We expect a vote before the full council in early March.
CCAN would like to thank Councilwoman Lehman for her vision and leadership, and thank every member of the PZED committee – Chairwoman Harrison, Vice Chair Glaros, Councilwoman Tavares, Councilman Franklin and Councilwoman Karen Toles – for supporting this important bill this morning and putting us one step closer to keeping fracking out of Prince George’s County. Congratulations to everyone who has helped get this campaign this far – onward to early March and beyond!
The seas are rising, and we are rising to the challenge.
That is the simple message that lies at the heart of what we do here at CCAN. That was the message of over 200 Marylanders this summer who attended and testified before the Maryland Commission on Climate Change calling for deep and science-based cuts in climate-warming emissions. That was the message of over 85 Maryland congregations that rose up climate justice from the pulpit last fall.
And now, finally, Maryland leaders have heard our call and have put forward a bill to meet the scale of the climate crisis. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2016 (SB 323/HB 610), sponsored by Delegate Kumar Barve and Senator Paul Pinsky, would renew Maryland’s statewide commitment of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and extend that goal to achieve a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The legislation follows up on the historic bi-partisan vote last fall by the Maryland Commission on Climate Change – made up of union leaders, businesses, environmental groups, and six Republican cabinet secretaries from the Hogan administration. That Commission voted unanimously to endorse the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act to slash Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions 40% by the year 2030.
Under a Republican Governor, Maryland is showing that climate change is not a political issue. It’s a scientific fact. And by choosing to acknowledge reality, and seize the very real economic growth opportunities that accompany climate action, Maryland can lead the way towards ending the partisan gridlock that too often stalls progress in Washington and other state capitals.
In order to achieve this significant new reduction goal, Maryland will have to revise and expand its 2013 Climate Action Plan, which contains strong goals and over 150 programs aimed at strengthening Maryland’s clean energy economy, improving our health, reducing waste, and protecting our climate. Key elements and benefits of that Plan include:
Reducing Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent annually.
Raising the state’s renewable energy goals, requiring that 25 percent of Maryland’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020.
Reducing waste by “reusing, recycling, composting and saving our way to Zero Waste, including an 85 percent reduction in generation of solid waste by 2030.”
Boosting Maryland’s economy by creating $1.6 billion in economic benefits and 37,000 new jobs through smart, sustainable investments.
Improving Marylanders’ health by reducing emissions of toxic air pollution and other harmful chemicals.
By passing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2016, Maryland will join other climate leaders like California and New York, who have also set goals to reduce emissions by 40 percent by 2030. This Act will put Maryland on a path to achieving the 80-90% greenhouse gas reductions by the middle of this century, which scientists say will be necessary to prevent the very worst impacts of climate change.
We’ll keep you posted on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act’s progress and other climate-related bills as they make their way through the legislative process in Annapolis.
Over the last year and a half, our campaign to stop dangerous and explosive oil trains in Baltimore has built some serious momentum. This is a blog post about what we’ve accomplished, and what we have planned next. In the winter of 2014, CCAN and partners submitted hundreds of public comments in opposition to Targa Terminals’ proposed crude oil and tar sands shipping terminal in Curtis Bay. In addition to submitting comments, technical comments filed by the Environmental Integrity Project got state regulators attention. The Maryland Department of the Environment halted the company’s permit, stopping construction of the terminal and potentially keeping over a million gallons of oil from running through our city every day. During that process, the Baltimore Sun reported that another terminal was already shipping crude oil out of the city, and that explosive crude oil trains were likely running through the center of the City, but rail companies CSX and Norfolk Southern were suing the state of Maryland to keep route information secret. A DOT-111 Train running through Baltimore along 26th street near Charles Village. So, in July of 2015, nearly a hundred of us rallied outside of City Hall as part of a National Week of Action to stop oil trains, calling for public disclosure of train routes. That same day, the City Council held an informational public hearing about crude oil trains, and, slowly, us and the City Council started to learn more about this shady industry. Of course, the rail companies refused to show up, prompting even more questions from the City Council. After that hearing, they agreed that something needed to happen. Finally, last Fall, we started to shed some light. In September, a Baltimore judge ruled against rail companies, forcing them to release oil train route information to the public, confirming that explosive crude oil trains do run through the heart of our city and put 165,000 people (or a quarter of the city’s population) at risk. Now, the city council is ready to take action. Just last week, City Council President Jack Young introduced a bill to study the health and safety impacts that oil trains place on the city. These are unprecedented studies that should tell us even more about the burden oil trains place on communities. We will be able to answer questions like: what pollutants leak out of oil trains in communities near rail lines? Or, what should the city do in the event of an oil train derailment and explosion? Of course, these simple questions should have been answered before we allowed oil trains to run through the heart of the City, but it’s heartening to see the City Council finally asking questions like this to expose this industry for what it is: an extreme risk to communities that we shouldn’t have to bear. Ultimately, we know that there is no safe way to transport oil. Whether it’s by rail, pipe, or truck, crude oil is too much of a danger for communities and for the climate. The only way to ultimately protect ourselves is to transition away from our dependence on fossil fuels. But exposing the oil train industry and giving communities the knowledge that they deserve is an important first step. If you want to learn more about crude oil trains and what we’re planning next, come to CCAN’s Town Hall on Thursday, February 11th in Baltimore. We’ll be joined by a guest from Lac-Megantic, Quebec, who will share her personal experience of the oil train disaster that destroyed her community. We’ll also hear from representatives from the City Council, who will discuss their recent action, and what we need to do to pass the ordinance and get it signed by the Mayor.
A year and a half ago when Governor McAuliffe and Dominion CEO Tom Farrell unveiled their plans for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, I was scared. Shortly thereafter, three more proposals for mega pipelines came forward – I was really scared.
Virginia was in the crosshairs of the fossil fuel industry, but over the last year we’ve built something. And dare I say it, we’re heading into 2016 with momentum.
Over the past few months we have racked up victories. The US Forest Service has proven to be a staunch ally. In October they asked Dominion to reroute the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to avoid the endangered Cow Knob Salamander. A month later, they flatly rejected the current proposed route. They cited unavoidable environmental damages, dealing an enormous setback to Dominion’s plans. Considering the original route took almost a year to design before submittal to FERC, one can only guess as to how long it will take to design a reroute. Further exemplifying the shoddiness with which Dominion has approached this process, the US Forest Service blasted Dominion for misrepresenting their soil samples. The US Forest Service thoroughly documented the instructions they gave to Dominion. Not only did their soil surveying team disregard instruction after instruction, they falsely presented the credentials of the sampling team. The US Forest Service publicly lambasted them for their complete disregard of protocol and demanded the samples be disregarded.
As this reckless planning has become more evident, the need to slow down and thoroughly plan this project has become increasingly apparent. More than a dozen legislators have written to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting they conduct a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). This would require FERC to examine all pipeline proposals in a regional, comprehensive manner. Virginia Democrats and Republicans at all levels of state and federal government have now written to FERC demanding a PEIS. And just last week, the Roanoke Times editorialized on the need for a PEIS as well.
Legislators on both sides of the aisles have introduced bills this General Assembly session to curtail the effects of these pipelines. And why unfortunately they don’t have authority to stop the pipeline, it’s a good step forward, and we’re fighting everyday to get them passed. To get involved in lobbying for these bills, email me at Drew@chesapeakeclimate.org.
We’re going to keep the momentum going through 2016.
This is our moment. This year, climate activists across Maryland have the opportunity to pass bold climate legislation that will pave the way for a clean energy future.
This year, we can slash climate-disrupting emissions by not only renewing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, but also strengthening and extending its goal — to achieve a 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
This year, we can chart the way to power our homes and communities with wind and solar. The Clean Energy Jobs Act will raise our clean energy standard to 25% by 2020 and invest a landmark $40 million into workforce development training in under-served communities.
With the support of legislative champions, including Senators Catherine Pugh and Mac Middleton and Delegate Dereck Davis, we are in a strong position to reach the finish line. But to get this legislation to Governor’s Hogan’s desk, we need one critical thing: For you to raise your voice in Annapolis and demand that your legislators vote YES! We are hosting a series of regional lobby nights to ensure our legislators hear our voices before every key hearing and vote. Come to Annapolis and raise your voice for clean energy with fellow climate activists from your community.
You’ll have the opportunity to meet with fellow climate activists in your district and receive the latest political updates on where your legislator stands on our priority climate bills. Following a training and orientation, you’ll meet face-to-face with your legislator. Sign up for your regional lobby night by clicking on the link that corresponds to your area:
By passing both the the Clean Energy Jobs Act and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, we will slash greenhouse gas emissions, create thousands of good green jobs, and power more of our homes and communities with clean, renewable sources like wind and solar. We’ll also invest millions of dollars into job training to help underserved communities gain pathways to family-sustaining jobs. Join us in Annapolis and let’s keep building Maryland’s clean energy future.
Yesterday was a truly inspiring day. I joined over 100 climate activists from across Virginia for the Virginia Conservation Network’s Conservation Lobby Day. We descended on the General Assembly in Richmond for what was certainly the biggest climate lobby day of the year. We met, we rallied. We called for bold climate action NOW – urging our legislators to protect Virginia’s most vulnerable communities from climate-change fueled flooding by supporting the Virginia Coastal Protection Act (SB 571/HB 351), calling on Governor Terry McAuliffe to “do the right thing” when deciding how Virginia will respond to new federal climate rules, urging our leaders to oppose offshore drilling and hundreds of new miles of fracked-gas pipelines, and protect Virginia’s rivers from dirty coal ash. Activists from Norfolk, Newport News and Virginia Beach on a chartered bus to Richmond For some of our most ardent activists, the day started at 6 AM, as nearly 50 community members from coastal Virginia climbed on a bus for the two hour ride to Richmond.
For all of us, kicking yesterday’s lobby day off with a pep talk from Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam was a big highlight. The Lieutenant Governor was an inspiring keynote speaker at CCAN’s celebration of Virginia’s Coastal Climate Champions in Norfolk last May, and he didn’t disappoint yesterday. The Lieutenant Governor urged us to ask for what we want, which, I’m proud to say, is exactly what we did! CCAN’s Hampton Roads Lead Organizer, Harrison Wallace, talking with the Lieutenant Governor Over the course of the morning, the 100+ activists met with just over 75 Senate and House offices, including members of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee and the House Special Subcommittee on Energy, who will be the deciding votes on many of our biggest climate bills this year. CCAN’s Executive Director, Mike Tidwell, and activists, meeting with Senator Donald McEachin (D-Richmond)
After intense lobbying, we joined the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Moms Clean Air Force, and Senator Donald McEachin (D-Richmond), among others, for a press conference to urge Governor McAuliffe and other state leaders to “do the right thing” when it comes to meeting the goals of the new federal climate plan. In the coming months, Governor McAuliffe will be forced to choose between what’s good for Virginia’s biggest utility, Dominion Virginia Power, and what’s good for all of us when deciding how to respond to new federal climate rules. Moms, dads, grandparents, kids and other concerned activists at yesterday’s press conference urged him to stand with us. Activists in yellow rain boots on the capitol grounds Yesterday’s lobby day culminated with a creative action on the grounds of the capitol itself: as legislators walked from the General Assembly building to the Capitol Building, more than 60 of us chanted for climate action and coastal protection. Many of us donned yellow rain boots, and held up signs with images of hard hit coastal neighborhoods and residents. When Delegate Ron Villanueva (R-Virginia Beach), House sponsor of the Virginia Coastal Protection Act, walked by, cheers went up and he smiled with pride.
I’ve been to lots of lobby days over the years. Yesterday’s felt uniquely powerful. The movement to call for real, bold climate action in Virginia, from our legislators and our Governor, is growing. I look forward to the days, weeks, months and years ahead, as we see some of the changes we were calling for Wednesday become a reality.
Whether it’s calling your legislator to urge them to vote for coastal protection, and against offshore drilling and fracked-gas pipelines, or signing our new petition to Governor McAuliffe to urge him make the right decision this spring, or joining us at a future rally or meeting: we need you to keep the movement going.
We’re fighting important fights across the region this spring – from creating the largest clean energy jobs plan in Maryland to capping carbon in Virginia to putting a price on it in DC. We’re lucky enough to be joined, as we are every year, by a talented group of spring fellows and interns who will be working alongside our field organizers and volunteers over the next several weeks and months to build the people-powered movement it’s going to take to win. Please join us in welcoming these talented young people to the CCAN team! Caleb Drake, No New Pipelines Caleb is working with CCAN’s Virginia Field Organizer, Drew Gallahger, to stop an unprecedented expansion of natural gas infrastructure in Virginia, from Dominion’s proposed 564-mile, $5.1 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline through central Virginia, to a new gas plant in Greensville County to a new compressor station in Fairfax. Caleb attends J. Sargeant Reynolds in Richmond and plans to major in Environmental Science and Policy.
Caleb is a Richmond native, and loves living between the beach and the mountains, with the James in his backyard.
Darien Pusey and Nicholas (Cole) McCarren, Don’t Frack Maryland Darien and Cole are working with CCAN’s Field Director, Monique Sullivan, to keep the dangerous practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, out of Maryland. This spring, this team is focused on banning the practice in Prince George’s County.
Cole is a junior at the University of Maryland-College Park, majoring in Geographic Sciences, and an active member of the school’s Student Sustainability Coalition. Cole is a native Marylander and Eagle Scout.
Darien recently graduated from UMD with a double major in Environmental Science and Policy. He has worked with the U.S. Climate Action Network and the American Council on Renewable Energy and is looking forward to a long career in environmental and public policy. Shanna Fricklas, Maryland and DC Policy Fellow Shanna is working with CCAN’s Maryland and DC Policy Director, James McGary, to research and develop policy positions, draft white papers and other advocacy materials, and support our lobbying efforts in Annapolis. She graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2015 with a Certification in Environment & Natural Resources Law, and came to CCAN in search of an opportunity to chase her passion for tackling climate change. Shanna has worked with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Sustainable Northwest, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the legal team at the Climate Reality Project. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, camping, hiking, and the company of her energetic guinea pig named Gizmo.
Yashodhara Varma, Safe Coast Virginia Yashodhara is working with CCAN’s Statewide Organizer, Charlie Spatz, to protect vulnerable communities across Virginia from the impacts of climate change, and put the first ever cap on carbon emissions in the state. Yashodhara is a freshman at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, and enjoys graphic design and photography. She is the Editor-in-chief of the Virginia Junior Academy of Science Voice, and a Richmond Peace Education Center Youth Leader.
Zack Kelleher, Forward with Clean Energy Zack is working with CCAN’s Maryland Outreach Coordinator, Brooke Harper, to put Maryland on track to double its commitment to clean energy this year while creating the state’s largest clean energy jobs plan. Zack is a senior at UMD-College Park, studying Psychology and Sustainability. A native Marylander, his passion for protecting the environment began with the Chesapeake Bay. Zack is pursuing a career in environmental policy and research, and has worked with Environment America, PIRG, the Fund for the Public Interest, Blue Raven Solar and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Zack is an avid musician.
Zachary Grzywacz, No Oil Trains in Baltimore Zachary is working with CCAN’s Healthy Communities Organizer, Jon Kenney, to protect communities like Baltimore City from the dangers of explosive crude oil trains. Zachary is double majoring in Environmental Science and Biological Sciences and UMD-Baltimore City, and is a member of the school’s Environmental Task Force. Zachary is originally from St. Mary’s County, and is an avid kayaker basketball player.
We at CCAN feel honored, this year as we do every year, to have the opportunity to work alongside such passionate and talented young people as we take on these and other big fights this spring and work to build a bigger movement together. Welcome to the team!
We said we wouldn’t let a blizzard stop us – and you proved us right. Last Saturday, nearly 200 brave plungers turned out at National Harbor to join our 2016 “Keep Winter Cold” Polar Bear Plunge, jumping into the (literally) freezing Potomac River to fight climate change.
We all had a blast and it was all for a very good cause: We’ve raised $81,995 and counting to support our work to move DC, Maryland, and Virginia off of dirty fossil fuels and to clean energy solutions. That’s pretty impressive – especially given the hiccup in our plans thanks to “Snowzilla.” For the first time in the history of CCAN’s Plunge, we were forced to postpone by a week due to extreme weather. You can still help us reach our goal of raising $90,000. Go to www.keepwintercold.org and donate to your favorite plunger!
Without further ado, here are some of my favorite highlights from the day – check out more photos here: 1. The costumes!! There were some creative get-ups, but one of my favorites was from Lori Hill (veteran plunger and green living expert), who dressed up like an oil slick. 2. We had some amazing “plungers” address the crowd – including a heartfelt tribute to a fallen plunger and inspiring words from 13-year-old Audrey, who used this year’s plunge as her mitzvah project for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah. 3. We had to break through the ice AGAIN. For the second time in the Polar Bear Plunge’s history, CCAN staff donned wetsuits to break through a layer of ice on the Potomac so we could take our dip. Thanks Jon and Brooke! We thank all of our plungers for your energy, your activism, your fundraising and your bravery. Your fundraising will provide a critical boost to our work – it’s nearly the equivalent of funding two full-time CCAN organizers!
Big thank you to our sponsors and prize donations for the plunge: MLJ Event Management, Perfect Settings, Zeke’s Coffee, Waste Neutral, Baklava Couture, Blue Planet Scuba, Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar, The North Face, Port City Brewery, Patagonia, The Pub and the People, Commissary, the pig, Redstone American Grill.
Don’t miss out on the ice-cold fun next time around – please mark your calendars for next January’s plunge!
Warmly (now) –
Kirsten
As president of the Westport Neighborhood Association, Keisha Allen is a leader in fighting for environmental justice in her community. Westport is located on the southern end of Baltimore, right next to rail lines frequently used by oil trains and bordering the Patapsco River.
Keisha first got involved after a presentation was made on the risks of oil trains at her local community meeting. Afterwards, she did more research online. She saw a picture of Lac-Megantic, noticed how similar it looked to Westport, and decided to get involved with our campaign.
She is planning to attend CCAN’s oil train town hall meeting in Baltimore on February 11th, at 7pm.
The Westport Neighborhood Association meets on the first Thursday of every month at the Westport Homes Boys & Girls Club Rec. Center, 2343 Norfolk St., Baltimore, MD 21230. Your name: Keisha Allen Your age: 40 Where you live: Baltimore, Maryland Your profession: Medical Billing & Systems Trainer for a large hospital system in central Maryland What are the impacts of climate change that hit closest to home for you?
Flooding. Westport is a community in the southern end of Baltimore City that is surrounded by the Middle Branch and the Gwynns Falls River. The risk is so great that two years ago, the University of Maryland took notice to several communities in my area and interviewed us for flooding preparedness. No one had ever warned us and we thought we lived far enough away from the water to not be at risk. None of us were ready. Why did you decide to get involved in taking action on climate?
Our community has a lot of environmental stresses, such as poor air quality, homes with lead, and contaminated grounds due to chemical and industrial factories that did not operate using clean energy. I’ve learned that the number one cause of death in my community and others that surround it is asthma. We hope to reduce these stresses by continuing to work with organizations such as CCAN and our Health Department. What has inspired you most working with CCAN and/or in your community?
CCAN has knowledge and expertise with environmental matters that my neighbors and I cannot cover alone — keeping us up to date with local environmental issues and canvassing our community to reach neighbors who cannot attend meetings. What do you hope to see happen in the next year to address the impacts of oil trains in Baltimore?
I want to see clear and easy to read warning signs on DOT-111 oil trains and at rail crossings. I want to see the City of Baltimore acknowledge, develop, and implement an emergency preparedness plan in partnership with city residents and businesses that fall within the “blast zones.” We want to be proactive rather than react after a small or major incident. Ultimately, DOT-111 oil trains should and must be directed through areas where people are not within a few hundred feet. What do you like to do when you’re not advocating in your community?
Spend time with friends and family. Travel. Who would you high five?
Each of my neighbors who work hard to make our community a cleaner, safer, and healthier place to live.
