Category: Press Releases

New Research: Experts Find Critical Flaws in Hogan’s Climate Plan

During a phone-based news briefing, economic and climate policy experts released new research detailing failings in Hogan Administration’s Draft Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan

ANNAPOLIS, MD — According to new findings released today, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s draft Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan is critically flawed and falls far short of what is needed to address the climate crisis.

See the full report at this link.

A recording of the telephone press call will be made available by request.

The review was authored by the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS), an independent non-profit that assists governments across the U.S. and around the world to develop climate action plans. CCS has extensive experience previously working on climate policy with the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), the same agency now responsible for the Hogan Administration’s flawed Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan.

“This policy review, written by MDE’s own former consultants, clearly shows that Maryland’s climate goals are insufficient for doing our part in addressing the climate crisis,” said Steven Hershkowitz, Maryland Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Making matters worse, we now know Maryland’s climate action plan likely does not put us in the position to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030, let alone the 60 percent reduction called for by leading climate scientists. With President Trump sabotaging national climate actions, it’s up to the states to act — but under the Hogan Administration’s plan, Maryland is setting the entire climate movement back.”  

The findings include that:

• Maryland’s current greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets are weak compared to other states and inadequate for meeting critical international benchmarks for averting the climate crisis.
• Due to overly optimistic assumptions and flawed methodology, MDE’s draft plan is unlikely to result in meeting even these weak emissions reduction targets.
• The plan is especially flawed when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the transportation sector, due to unrealistic assumptions on widespread electric vehicle adoption, dubious claims that highway widening will result in fewer emissions, and a lack of proposed strategies for reducing car travel demand.
• MDE does not account for methane leakage in inventories or future scenarios, even as the Hogan Administration is supporting an expansion of fracked-gas infrastructure.
• Inconsistent calculations for the emissions inventory between 2014 and 2017 call into question the accuracy of MDE’s data. See the full report at this link.

“As some of the world’s largest emitters, US states must do their fair share to stabilize the climate. As a high emitter with a strong economy and great foundation from past climate action, Maryland can demonstrate national leadership,” said Thomas D. Peterson, President and CEO of the Center for Climate Strategies. “Key areas needing improvement in Maryland’s Draft Plan include action on targets, transportation, and energy issues. Better transparency and stakeholder involvement in planning decisions are also needed.”

“The administration’s current emissions reduction commitments do not reflect the scale of the climate crisis and its impacts on our state,” said Wandra Ashley-Williams, Maryland Regional Director of ClimateXChange. “Without the level of ambition required to  tackle this crisis, we will  also miss out on the opportunity to uplift communities through a broader transition.”

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2016 — which was passed by super majorities in the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan —  requires MDE to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 2006 levels by 2030, and for MDE to develop this plan by the end of 2018. In October of this year, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s Department of Environment released its legally mandated draft draft plan. This came two weeks after 26 Maryland-based advocacy organizations sent a letter to the agency expressing “deep concern” that they had not yet released the plan nearly ten months after it was due.

MDE is now soliciting public comment on its draft Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act Plan through a series of community forums across the state.

About the Center for Climate Strategies

The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) helps government and stakeholders work together to develop policy and program actions that achieve goals for climate stabilization and resilience, economic development and private investment, energy and resource security, health and environmental quality, and socioeconomic equity. CCS is an independent, expert 501c3 nonprofit organization located in Washington, DC with global partners.

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 17 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

Columbia Gas’s Potomac Pipeline Threatens Water, Health, Communities, and Climate

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Shepherdstown, WV — Today, hundreds of clean water activists joined hands across the Potomac River to protest plans by Columbia Gas to revive a fracked gas pipeline project that has already been rejected by the state of Maryland. Attendees at Sunday’s event stood hand-in-hand on the James Rumsey Bridge, which spans the Potomac River, the river the pipeline would cross, threatening the drinking water for six million people. Activists chanted anti-pipeline slogans and threw flowers over the bridge into the river.

Construction of fracked gas pipelines threatens water quality because destabilization of the soil leads to runoff and sediment entering waterways, which pollutes them and can kill fish and wildlife. Construction crews sometimes also release drilling fluid into waterways, threatening water quality at the site and downstream. In addition to the threats they pose to clean water, gas pipelines can explode, causing serious injuries and even death. The methane gas they carry leaks along the way, and is linked to breathing problems, premature births, and even cancer. Methane is also a dangerous greenhouse gas, 87 times more potent than carbon at trapping heat over its first twenty years in the atmosphere.

In response, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Director Mary Anne Hitt released the following statement:

“We have said over and over again that we don’t want fracking, we don’t want fracked gas, and we certainly don’t want Columbia Gas’s dirty, dangerous fracked gas Potomac Pipeline. It’s been rejected by residents, by politicians, and by the courts, and it’s past time Columbia gets the hint. The Sierra Club is proud to join hands across the Potomac to show Columbia Gas they should once and for all stop trying to resuscitate this zombie pipeline.”

Brent Walls, Potomac Riverkeeper Network:

“This has been a three year long battle against Columbia Gas. We have made a lot of great strides and garnered the support of thousands of people in communities, hundreds of elected officials and this event shows the strength of our movement and that we won’t back down.”

Brooke Harper, 350.org:

“On the heels of the climate strikes, where millions mobilized across the globe, we feel the need to continue to answer the cry of the youth to stop fossil fuels. We are here today to show our united opposition to the Potomac Pipeline and its harm to the community.”

Benita Keller, Eastern Panhandle Green Coalition:

“Eastern Panhandle Green Coalition is honored to stand in unity and to hold hands with all the people who are fighting the Potomac Pipeline, Rockwool, and all that threatens our land, our air, our water.” 

Mary Mattlage, Eastern Panhandle Protectors:

“To risk the health and safety of our residents and to destroy a thriving agricultural and tourist industry and competitive economy in favor of toxic industry and an obsolete and dangerous infrastructure is shortsighted and frankly, stupid.”

Paula Jean Swearingen, Climate & Workers Rights Activist:

“We’ve seen this type of exploitation far too often in the southern coalfields. A monopoly comes in that feeds the pockets of local politicians. It exploits and risks destroying our community and when it has sucked out every ounce of profit it can they pack up and leave the community with the damage. As a coal miner’s daughter our water ran black and purple and orange. I have a grandchild on the way – and I am not going to leave this world to the coal barons, pipeline profiteers, or insurance companies who trade lives and destroy the world for profit.”

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Contact:
Doug Jackson, 202.495.3045 or doug.jackson@sierraclub.org
Zack Gerdes, (240) 764-5402 or Zack.Gerdes@mdsierra.org

Groups: Nine-Month Delay in Releasing Climate Plan is “Utterly  Unacceptable”

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Today, 26 Maryland-based advocacy organizations sent a letter to the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) expressing “deep concern” that the agency has not yet released its legally mandated Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2016 — which was passed by super majorities in the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan —  requires MDE to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 2006 levels by 2030, and for MDE to develop this plan by the end of 2018.  

Anne Havemann, General Counsel, CCAN, stated: “Now is the time for leadership, not inaction. We are nearly out of time to deal with the climate crisis, and yet MDE has been sitting on its hands for over nine months with no plan to show for it. Not only do we demand the release of this legally mandated greenhouse gas reduction plan but we also demand that it fully account for the true impact of fracked-gas on Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions. To do otherwise would delegitimize this already delayed plan.”

The letter reiterates that there is “growing urgency and alarm raised by the world’s leading climate scientists” about the climate crisis, and states that the Hogan administration is “wasting what little time we have left” to address climate change. They noted that this delay “does not harmonize with the Administration’s purported commitment to addressing global warming.” Hogan has positioned himself as a climate-friendly governor, announcing his public commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and releasing a plan for 100% “clean” electricity even as he denigrated Maryland’s flagship clean energy law. 

Celia Plante, Co-Chair of the Maryland Legislative Coalition, stated: “As voters and as residents of Maryland, a state that is one of the most heavily affected by climate change in the nation, we recognize that we need to transform from fossil fuels to clean energy as fast as possible.  We cannot accept MDE’s foot-dragging when our children’s futures are literally at stake. If the MDE cannot even produce a plan in a reasonable amount of time, they are not qualified to lead us during this emergency. We need leadership not stall tactics.” The Maryland Legislative Coalition is an alliance of grassroots activist groups from all across the state, including Indivisible, Our Revolution, Progressive Maryland, Together We Will and Huddles.  

Bonnie Raindrop, Legislative Chair of the Central Maryland Beekeepers Association, stated: “Climate change affects the survival of wild bees, honeybees, nectar and pollen producing plants and pollinators, which cannot adapt quickly enough to earth’s rising temperatures and weather changes. We depend on pollinators for one in three bites of food and are losing 60% of honeybees in Maryland annually and 70% of the worlds flying insects worldwide. This crisis demands swift action on the part of Maryland.” 

 Ruth Alice White, Advocacy Lead of HoCo Climate Action, stated: “Howard Countians are ready for climate action. Howard County youths and adults were among those involved in climate strikes last week, filling the streets, raising banners and calling for action during this time of climate emergency.  Many have taken steps to lower their personal carbon footprints. But for greater changes, we need bold state policies in place. Secretary Grumbles, don’t hold us back.”

The groups also called on MDE to include in this plan “a full accounting of the life-cycle methane pollution related to energy use in Maryland derived from gas.” 

Lois Hybl, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Maryland, stated: “When legislation such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act is passed, we count on our government to take the necessary steps to meet the goals of such legislation. The League of Women Voters expects our elected officials and those appointed by them to act in a timely manner.” 

The letter the week after millions of people took part in Global Climate Strikes around the world, calling for swift climate action. The world’s top scientists with the United Nations have released a report showing the world needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 in order to avert climate catastrophe. 

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, 608-620-8819
Anne Havemann, General Counsel, anne@chesapeakeclimate.org, 202-997-2466

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 16 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org 

Northam Must Commit to Stopping Fracked-Gas Pipelines to Address the Climate Crisis

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam  stood before a packed room of clean energy advocates and business leaders to announce Executive Order 43. This order aims to address the climate crisis by creating a plan to produce thirty percent of Virginia’s electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030 and one hundred percent of Virginia’s electricity from “carbon-free sources” by 2050.

Harrison Wallace, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, released the following statement:

“Governor Northam’s commitment to a 100% carbon-free energy future by 2050 and 30% renewable energy by 2030 is one of the most ambitious climate action goals in the South. We applaud his efforts to lead by example at the state agency level, address environmental justice, and commit to workforce development.

“But Northam’s order ignores the fracked-gas elephant in the room. If we are going to solve the climate crisis, we cannot continue supporting and investing in proposed fracked-gas pipelines like the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines. One place to start would be directing his Department of Environmental Quality to issue stop-work orders for those projects.

“Additionally, the Governor’s plan just doesn’t go far enough on climate. The world’s top scientists all agree that we must cut global carbon emissions in half by 2030 and Virginia must do its part. We plan to work with Governor Northam, the General Assembly, and the burgeoning grassroots climate movement in Virginia to craft a solution that matches the urgency of this crisis.”

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 608-620-8819, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org 

Harrison Wallace, Virginia Director, 804-305-1472, harrison@chesapeakeclimate.org 

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 17 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org.

Reinitiation of Endangered Species Act Consultation Should Halt All Work on Fracked Gas Pipeline

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the federal agency tasked with reviewing and approving interstate gas pipelines, requested that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reinitiate consultation on its Endangered Species Act permit for the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline. Because the project does not have a valid Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement, all work on the pipeline should halt until a new one is issued. Today’s announcement comes one week after a coalition of conservation groups requested a stay while courts review their legal challenge to the FWS’s approval for the 303-mile pipeline.

In response, Sierra Club Staff Attorney Elly Benson released the following statement:

“We have said all along that there is no right way to build this dirty, dangerous fracked gas pipeline. Mountain Valley Pipeline has already destroyed and degraded the habitat of endangered species, and all construction should be halted immediately. It’s going to take more than half-measures to protect our endangered species, climate, and communities. Mountain Valley Pipeline should read the writing on the wall and shut this project down once and for all.”

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s General Counsel Anne Havemann stated: 

“The rush to build this unnecessary and harmful pipeline has polluted drinking water, harmed livelihoods, triggered landslides, and further threatened already endangered species. Despite the devastation that construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline has left in its wake and despite the lack of valid permits, construction on much of this dangerous pipeline continues. FERC must stop work on the entire pipeline — to do otherwise is completely unacceptable.”

David Sligh, Conservation Director for Wild Virginia stated:

“The Mountain Valley Pipeline threatens some of our most sensitive and precious species and must be stopped. Regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have now agreed with advocates that the Fish and Wildlife Service failed in its duty under the Endangered Species Act. Now the Service must go back and do the job right. We are confident that an honest analysis will show that this pipeline cannot be built without harming these species and and it should be abandoned.”

Jason Rylander, Senior Endangered Species Counsel for Defenders of Wildlife stated:

“The Fish and Wildlife Service’s original biological opinion was wholly inadequate to protect imperiled species in the path of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Further construction on the pipeline must cease while the Service conducts this necessary review of its impacts.” 

Roberta Bondurant, of Preserve Bent Mountain, stated:

“Under MVP construction we’ve witnessed a financially failing fox assert it could guard the henhouse, while disregarding and flaunting all rules in broad daylight, in plain view. MVP has given new meaning to the word ‘lawless.’ We persevere in seeking a full stay of construction in protection of our fragile species, our great places. For our next generations, we seek the Rule of Law.”

Jared Margolis, of the Center for Biological Diversity, stated:

“There’s no doubt that the Mountain Valley Pipeline is a disaster for imperiled wildlife and our waterways, but FERC needs to do more than simply renew its analysis of those threats. This pipeline should be cancelled entirely to protect the public interest and prevent further harm to our climate. Regulators need to stop putting corporate profits ahead of safeguarding our environment.”

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CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-630-1889, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
Fritz Schneider, Director of Communications, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, 301.728.4811, fritz@prknetwork.org

BALTIMORE, MD — Today, in a victory for environmentalists and concerned Maryland residents, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland rejected Columbia Gas’ effort to force a fracked-gas pipeline underneath Maryland public lands. In January, Governor Hogan and the Maryland Board of Public Works unanimously rejected a right-of-way easement for what is known as the “Potomac Pipeline” project underneath the Western Maryland Rail/Trail. Columbia Gas Transmission, which is owned by TransCanada Corp., filed its lawsuit in May to seize this land through eminent domain. This attempt by a private corporation to take public land through eminent domain is unprecedented in Maryland. 

Representatives of top Maryland environmental groups responded: 

Kirsten Collings, Deputy Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network: 

“Today, justice prevailed. Fossil fuel companies have acted as if they are above the law for too long. Columbia Gas wants to trample over states’ rights and steal our precious public land, all for a dangerous pipeline that we don’t even need. This would have set a dangerous precedent in Maryland. Our state decisionmakers have the right to protect our communities — to do so is a cornerstone of our democracy.”

Brent Walls, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper: 

“This attempt by Columbia Gas was nothing more than a heavy-handed ploy to take public land owned by and for the benefit of all Marylanders, just so that it could build a risky pipeline which no one needs that, would threaten the source of drinking water for millions, and provides no benefit at all to the citizens of Maryland. 

“All of us who are aware of the dangers to water and a way of life posed by the pipeline sincerely hope that this ruling is the end of the matter. We don’t need or want this pipeline and the risk of construction and operation would be simply too great.”

Patrick Grenter, Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club: 

“Today’s ruling is a victory for the state of Maryland, the environment, and all those who get drinking water from the Potomac River. After 2 years of continued opposition from the public and elected officials, and now a US District Court, we hope Columbia Gas finally understands that there is no place in Maryland for this dirty, dangerous fracked gas pipeline.”

Additional Information: 

The decision comes after the Office of the Attorney General, representing the Department of Natural Resources, responded to Columbia Gas’ motion for a preliminary injunction, opposing the injunction and filing its own motion to dismiss the case. The State argued that “the pipeline project directly contravenes not only the State’s sovereignty, but also the State’s energy policy” and asked the federal court to dismiss the case. 

In June, 62 Maryland legislators released a letter publicly opposing Columbia Gas’ attempt to force through the pipeline. The legislators also declared their support for the Department of Natural Resources’ defense against this lawsuit. 

This pipeline has faced two years of public opposition from the public, grassroots groups, and legislators representing Maryland, West Virginia, and DC. In December 2018, 63 Maryland legislators called on Governor Hogan, Treasurer Nancy Kopp, and Comptroller Peter Franchot to reject the easement to build underneath the Rail/Trail. Dozens of activists also rallied at the Western Maryland Rail/Trail in Hancock on May 30th after the Columbia Gas filed the complaint.

Surface and groundwater, including drinking water sources, can suffer long-term harm during the construction of fracked-gas pipelines. A drilling blowout can release toxic drilling fluids into the soil and adjacent waters and construction can alter routes and rates of water flow. Once in operation, gas pipelines continue to pose contamination dangers. Pipeline leaks and failures can release methane, an explosive safety hazard and a potent greenhouse gas. 

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About the Sierra Club:

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

About Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 16 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

About the Potomac Riverkeeper Network:

Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization with three regional Waterkeeper branches: Potomac Riverkeeper, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper and Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Our mission is to protect the public’s right to clean water in our rivers and streams. We stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. For more information, visit http://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org.