Category: Blog

Virginia Beach activists act out Big Oil vs. the Rest of Us

Commemmorating the 2nd Anniverary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and prolonged, enormous oil leak, residents of Virginia Beach demonstrated this past Friday.

Led by Oceana Virginia, the action included a mock oil spill, a fisherman whose livelihood was suddenly threatened, a sickened oil-covered dolphin, and a greedy oil tycoon profiting while people and wildlife suffer. Rarely do we see such a clear contrast between the risks of dirty energy for many and the wealth it brings a few.

Now is a critical time to note the dangers of offshore oil development. Offshore seismic testing threatens Virginia’s coast. Offshore seismic studies for oil and gas clearly signify a first step toward drilling. We know that would only prolong our dependence on fossil fuels and cause more climate pollution, so please take action to oppose seismic testing. If you are able to attend the hearing in Norfolk this Tuesday, we are counting on you to tell the federal government that we cannot allow seismic testing for oil and gas. To stop global warming, slow sea level rise, and protect our coast, we need to develop renewable energy now.

Lessons from the Unknown Rebel

On Saturday, I helped lead Richmond’s 99% Spring Training Workshop. Among the many incredible lessons from the event, my greatest takeaway came via a pre-recorded video on the history of non-violent civil disobedience. Watching the history of America’s greatest social movements unfold reminded me of the incredible power of non-violent civil disobedience, when done correctly. Ironically, the weekend before, I was moved beyond words by Chris Hayes’ monologue on the same topic during his weekly cable television show.

Throughout the week, my mind has traveled through time in remembrance of the most courageous and effective strategies of social change. From women’s suffrage to the civil rights movement, non-violent civil disobedience has been used effectively to effect positive change in our society. However, the most memorable image of all, and a moment in courage I will always remember, belongs to “Tank Man”.

Fracking: what happened in Annapolis?

Despite the threat of earthquakes and flammable drinking water and contaminated rivers, the Maryland General Assembly this week failed to pass a bill protecting Marylanders from the worst dangers of hydraulic “fracking” for natural gas. Our lawmakers failed to pass a simple bill that would have funded basic safety studies before any such drilling would be allowed in our state. How did this failure happen? The answer is simple: the American Petroleum Institute happened.

Minority Business Leaders Urge Passage of MD Wind Bill

Annapolis, 4/6/12
By James McGarry

With time running out in the Maryland General Assembly, a group of minority business and civic leaders from across the state gathered Friday in Annapolis to urge immediate passage of the Offshore Wind Energy Act (SB 237) in the Senate Finance Committee. Leaders highlighted the health and environmental benefits of the bill, as well as the fact that tens of millions of dollars in minority business funds will be lost if the Senate Finance Committee fails to act.

In attendance representing Maryland businesses were Lance Lucas, President of the Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce, Vernon Wade, President/CEO of Wade Enterprises, Inc. and chair of the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce, and Shawn Young of the Prince George’s Electrical Association. In addition to the thousands of jobs that would be created over the next five years and the more than $100 million in economic opportunities for minority businesses, the speakers emphasized the environmental and health benefits that would result from the bill, citing that African American children are disproportionately affected by asthma.

“If Maryland doesn’t act now, this opportunity could pass us by,” said Wade, before adding that, “we can consider this a game changer.”

The bill must clear the Senate Finance Committee to reach the Senate floor for a vote by Monday, April 9, before the end of the legislative session. It cleared the House of Delegates on March 30 by a margin of 88-47. Supporters are currently working hard to secure a sixth vote in the eleven member panel. Committee Chairman Thomas “Mac” Middleton said the panel will not vote until after the bill has firm majority support within the committee.

Maryland General Assembly offshore wind

Preparing for Climate Change: A Tale of Two States, Maryland and Virginia [Cross-posted from NRDC]

Ben Chou posted this great piece earlier today on the NRDC’s Switchboard blog – follow the link below to head on over and check out the full article.

Preparing for Climate Change: A Tale of Two States, Maryland and Virginia

Although separated by only the Potomac River, the District of Columbia, and parts of West Virginia, the states of Maryland and Virginia could not be farther apart when it comes to preparing for climate change. According to a new NRDC report released today, Ready or Not, Maryland is among the states doing the most to prepare for climate change while Virginia is among 29 states that are far behind in their planning efforts. [Click here to read the rest.]

Activists Encircle State House in “Circle of Support” for Offshore Wind Power Bill

In the first-ever demonstration of its kind in Annapolis, about 400 Marylanders joined hands Monday to form a “circle of support” around the State House in a hopeful call for final passage of the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act (HB 441/ SB 237).

Maryland Maryland General Assembly Marylanders for offshore wind

We came. We marched. We got drenched. This is just the beginning…

What do you get when you put over 200 CCAN supporters out in the rain in downtown Richmond on a Saturday? A drenched but fired-up community ready to stand up to Dominion’s Dirty Power!

If you’re on CCAN’s Virginia list, then you surely heard about last Saturday’s event – the March to End Dominion’s Power Madness. After 5 weeks of spreading the word, managing logistics large and small and reaching out to the media, we were ready. So, when we saw the forecast and woke up to drenching rain last Saturday morning, we were a little worried. But, we knew it would take more than a downpour to keep CCAN activists from standing up to the commonwealth’s biggest climate change contributor. We were right!

People came out in droves to Kanawha Plaza, across the street from Dominion’s Richmond offices, with energy and enthusiasm I’ve rarely seen.

March 24 Rally Was a Success!

Hello, everyone! I am CCAN’s new campus organizer for Virginia, and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. Since starting earlier this month, I have had a great time meeting with students from across the Commonwealth, petitioning, phonebanking (calling students can be incredibly entertaining sometimes), and helping plan for and staff events. Specifically, I am proud to have worked on March 24’s March to End Dominion’s Power Madness in Richmond!

On the morning of the March, I woke up to rain on the skylights, thinking “well, looks like there won’t be many people coming today.” In most cases, when you think of Richmond, VA and rain, you do not think of over 200 people listening to speakers, voicing their opinions, and generally enjoying themselves at a rally.

The Fracking Bill is on the Move!

Great news! The Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Fee bill has passed out of the House of Delegates with a vote of 88-49.

When "new" is "better"

Don’t get me wrong, “new” is not always better. For instance, I LOVE musical oldies but goodies. Ask around. Nothing gets me more jazzed than listening to a great Stevie Wonder hit or one of my old-school favorites from Marvin Gaye or the Temptations. Classical movies are some of the best that have ever been made. Chief on the list are “In the Heat of the Night” and “The Godfather Parts I & II” (see Part III for why “new” is not always better). In fashion, what once was popular two decades ago will most certainly become popular again in the decade to come.

The point that I’m trying to make is that there are times where I and many of you like to enjoy the greatness of years past and indulge on some of its fruits. In some areas like music, art, and culture, “old” may sometimes be “better”.

But when it comes to industrial, technological, or medical innovations, new is almost always better.