Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC Will Defy President Trump on Climate Policy

Statement from Mike Tidwell, director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, on Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement:

THE BAD NEWS: President Trump today sealed his reputation as an economic and environmental wrecking ball with few rivals in US history. Locally, his decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement threatens to reduce jobs and shrink our regional economy. It would do so by embracing fracking and a dying coal industry over the jobs-creating markets for wind and solar power. Trump has endangered our coastal military bases in Virginia with more sea-level rise. He has endangered DC citizens with more life-threatening urban heat waves. He has endangered Maryland agriculture with more erratic weather that harms everything from fruit trees to livestock.

THE GOOD NEWS: President Trump CANNOT stop the growing local movement toward clean energy or the broader international effort to stabilize our global climate. Locally, states are moving faster toward clean energy than ever before because of Trump’s criminal rejection of climate science and sound policy. Virginia has just announced the state’s first-ever carbon cap on power plant pollution. DC is moving toward a citywide carbon fee that creatively cuts pollution while boosting individual incomes. And Maryland has just banned fracking while approving the country’s largest offshore wind farm. This robust state action cannot and will not be slowed by Trump’s federal rejection of climate truth and economic sanity. The citizens of Maryland, Virginia, and DC should rest assured that our states – along with progressive states across the country – will continue to grow our economies with clean energy while fulfilling our historic collective duty to help solve the climate crisis for our children and the rest of the world.

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins; Communications Director; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 240-396-2022
Mike Tidwell, Executive Director; mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org; 240-460-5838.

Virginia Military Veterans Speak Out Against Fracked-Gas Pipelines

New letter signed by military veterans from all branches announces opposition to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline

RICHMOND, Virginia– Military veterans from across Virginia released a letter today opposing two proposed fracked-gas pipelines: Dominion Energy’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline and EQT’s Mountain Valley Pipeline. These pipelines would cross through pristine areas of Virginia, taking private property by use of eminent domain, removing mountain ridgetops, and threatening valuable drinking water resources. The veterans view this as contrary to their service to protect and defend the freedom and security of American citizens.
Their letter, released on Thursday, May 25th, is signed by 14 Virginia veterans from all five branches of the military. The veterans signing the letter state: “We stand together to support our citizens and our Constitution. We stand against [the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline] because we stand against the seizure of private property for corporate gain. Both of these proposed pipelines would create new sacrifice zones and abuse eminent domain to strip property owners of land that, in many cases, has been in their families for generations. This direct attack on the constitutional rights of landowners goes against the oath we all took when we volunteered to serve this great country.”
“As veterans we took an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic,” said Adam Fischbach, Hospital Corpsman Second Class, U.S. Navy. “The Constitution was written to protect the rights of American citizens. Now, when we allow a private corporation such as Dominion to overpower individual rights in the name of unjustified business profits, we have lost what it means to be American and to our right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We, as veterans must take a stand to ensure that individual rights are not stepped on in the name of economic advancement for the fossil fuel industry.”
The letter discusses the battle between indigenous communities and police forces at Standing Rock, when thousands of military veterans showed up to form a human shield around the water protectors when their communities were under threat from the Dakota Access Pipeline. The signatories state: “We will continue to embody that spirit to protect our communities against the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines.”
“Pipeline companies target communities like Newport, Virginia because they think we won’t make trouble for them due to our rural values,” said Russell Chisholm, US Army, Desert Storm and Newport resident. “They ignore the fact that people of faith live here. Veterans and active duty service members live here and we take our oath to ‘support and defend’ as a life-long promise. We stand up when Americans are threatened. You better believe we are going to stand up when fellow veterans are threatened.”
In the letter, released on behalf of Veterans Service Corps., the signatories renounce the pipelines for ensuring “that Virginia remains shackled to fossil fuel extraction for another generation.” They call for action on climate change, noting a “proven demand for a future that is powered by clean energy and innovation.”
“It’s time we stopped looking backwards at dirty energy technologies of the past and started creating jobs in energy efficiency, solar, and wind energy,” said Dave Belote, Colonel (retired), U.S. Air Force. “Hampton Roads should be the center of a mid-Atlantic offshore wind industry that can employ thousands, maximize the use of our port facilities, and point the way to a clean, resilient future.”
The joint letter will be sent to Governor Terry McAuliffe as well as each of the five Virginia gubernatorial candidates: Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, Tom Perriello, Ed Gillespie, Virginia Senator Frank Wagner, and Corey Stewart.
 

The letter can be read in full here.

 
Contact: Jamshid Bakhtiari, jamshid@chesapeakeclimate.org, (757) 386-8107.
 

 
Photo at the top from Flickr user Joe Brusky with a Creative Commons license. 

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe Proposes Statewide Carbon Cap Through Executive Action

Advocates Now Call On Governor To Drop Support For Offshore Drilling, Fracked-Gas Pipelines

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced an executive action paving the way for Virginia to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel power plants. The governor announced a directive which, by the end of this year, could create a legal framework for the state to create its own carbon cap program to annually lower power-plant pollution. That program would most likely be linked to the highly successful Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade system now in place from Maine to Maryland — or to California’s cap-and-trade system.
To date, McAuliffe’s policies on climate and energy have earned him very poor grades from many environmental, faith, student, and justice groups. See this 2016 “report card” giving the governor a D-plus grade on climate and energy policies. And see this “open letter” to the governor last June.
But today’s action will significantly improve the governor’s grade. The governor can further cement a positive legacy on climate change by finally dropping his support for offshore oil drilling in Virginia and – most importantly – drop his support for two massive proposed pipelines to transport fracked gas from West Virginia to Virginia. The global warming emissions from the two pipelines – the Mountain Valley Pipeline and Atlantic Coast Pipeline – would, if built, create a new pulse of greenhouse gas pollution that would completely undo any reductions stemming from the governor’s executive action today on power plants. It is possible – and hoped – that the executive action today could itself dampen the market for fracked-gas pipelines and new gas-powered plants in Virginia. It could do this by rewarding carbon-free generation like wind and solar over gas combustion and the attendant pipelines. But this is unclear at this point.
Statement from Mike Tidwell, Executive Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“Though late in his administration, Governor Terry McAuliffe did the right thing today in announcing a pathway for Virginia to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The governor’s executive ‘directive’ unveiled today is precisely what environmental advocates have been asking the governor to do for over two years now. With President Trump dismantling climate policies nationally, it’s reassuring that Governor McAuliffe has at last responded in a powerful way. This move could soon allow Virginia to cap carbon pollution in a systematic way, likely linked to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative now in place from Maine to Maryland. Now, the governor should further cement his climate legacy by opposing offshore drilling for oil and opposing the massive fracked-gas pipelines that Dominion and other companies want to build across the state.”


###

CONTACT:

Denise Robbins; Communications Director; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 240-396-2022
Mike Tidwell, Executive Director; mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org; 240-460-5838

Photo at the top from Flickr User VCU ANS with a Creative Commons license. 

In Historic Move, Maryland Public Service Commission Approves Two Offshore Wind Farms

The Maryland Public Service Commission today awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (ORECs) to two projects, bringing what will become the nation’s largest offshore wind farms to Maryland’s shores. The two projects will bring 368 megawatts of wind energy capacity, together yielding over $1.8 billion of in-state spending, spurring the creation of almost 9,700 new direct and indirect jobs and contributing $74 million in state tax revenues over 20 years, according to the PSC.

Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:

“After years of visionary advocacy from citizens and businesses across Maryland, the state’s Public Service Commission today approved two major offshore wind farms off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland. These wind farms will be truly pioneering facilities, leading Maryland and the nation toward a 21st century economy that combats climate change and creates jobs in droves at the same time.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network commends the PSC for correctly assessing the economic, health, and environmental gains integral to these projects. Major thanks must also go to the Maryland General Assembly for passing landmark legislation in 2013, which created incentives and guidelines for offshore wind development. And major credit must go to former Governor Martin O’Malley (D) and his staff who, for years, lead this fight with a vision filled with climate urgency, a sense of social justice, and a devotion to sustainable and vibrant economic growth. This major move toward offshore wind power would not have happened without Governor O’Malley.

Now CCAN is optimistic that the PSC approval today will quickly lead to near-term construction of nearly 400 megawatts of offshore wind. This marks the real start toward an extensive offshore wind industry that will one day soon stretch from Cape Cod, MA to Cape Hatteras, NC and provide as much as a third of the East Coast’s electricity

CONTACT:

Denise Robbins; Chesapeake Climate Action Network; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 608-620-8819

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Leaders Unveil “Carbon Fee and Rebate” Plan for the Nation’s Capital

Local Groups Propose Plan to Penalize Carbon Pollution, Rebate Millions of Dollars to City Residents, Invest in the Green Economy, and Create Tax Credits for Businesses

WASHINGTON, DC – Local faith leaders, economic justice advocates, labor organizers, environmentalists, and others gathered on the front steps of D.C.’s city hall on Thursday to unveil a dynamic “carbon fee and rebate” plan to reduce global warming pollution in the city of Washington, D.C. The plan would charge polluters for their carbon emissions and rebate the overwhelming majority of the revenue back to every resident of the District.
The groundbreaking plan, released in the wake of April’s massive Peoples Climate March in D.C., outlines how the District of Columbia can reduce carbon pollution in the city while increasing employment. The plan will also boost incomes in the District through a universal “carbon rebate” paid to every resident on a quarterly basis, including an enhanced rebate to low-income District residents. The plan would also make investments in green infrastructure throughout the city. Finally, the plan proposes using a small share of the carbon revenue to create a tax credit for local businesses.
“After months at the table, community leaders representing the vast majority of D.C. residents have put together a remarkably fair and effective policy to address climate pollution,” said Jeremiah Lowery, a Ward 4 resident and organizer for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “This policy would significantly reduce carbon pollution in the city, create a badly needed new source of income for residents, and grow the D.C. economy at the same time.”
On the heels of last autumn’s unsuccessful carbon tax initiative in Washington State, the D.C. campaign to put a “price” on carbon is backed by a unified alliance of labor leaders, environmentalists, and economic justice advocates. These include the D.C. Sierra Club, the Service Employees International Union Local 32B (32BJ SEIU), Interfaith Power and Light, the Working Families Party of D.C., Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Black Millennials for Flint, and more. The groups are unified under the “Put a Price On It D.C.” campaign.
The proposed policy would apply to natural gas and oil consumed in the District as well as carbon-intensive electricity and emissions linked to transportation (exempting public transportation). It would rebate 75% of the carbon revenue to all D.C. residents, invest 20% in green energy projects, and use 5% to reduce property taxes for local businesses. Legislation proposed by the group would be called “The Healthy Climate, Healthy Business, and Family Rebate Act of D.C.”
“Carbon pollution and climate disruption threaten the health of our children and the future of our community,” said Mark Kresowik, a Ward 4 homeowner, father, and Deputy Regional Director for the Sierra Club.  “Our diverse coalition has worked together and found common ground to ensure polluters pay for their damage, help those who have been overburdened by pollution and underserved by economic opportunities, and make clean energy and transportation more available to families, workers, and businesses.”
Advocates released economic data showing how a rebate-oriented carbon fee – beginning at $20 per ton of CO2 in 2019 and rising to $150 per ton in 2032 – would benefit local businesses, workers, and household incomes in D.C. Advocates enlisted the services of the well-known D.C.-based think tank called the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) to run sophisticated computer model runs based on these carbon fees for the District. For this purpose, CCS employed an energy/economic computer model from the highly respected company Regional Economic Models, Inc., and found that the mix of 75% rebate, 20% investments, and a 5% property tax cut for businesses produced maximum benefits while reducing carbon pollution by 23% in the city by 2032.
Said Josephine Chu, co-founder of local D.C. catering company, Zenful Bites: “Zenful Bites is proud to be part of the ‘Put a Price on It D.C.’ coalition. This policy will expand our customer base and make our city a healthier, safer place to live. We’re happy to help move this campaign forward for a more sustainable economy.”
Starting on day one, the money raised through carbon pricing would be returned to every D.C. resident through a quarterly rebate, with extra money earmarked for low-income residents.  In just the first year of this policy, every family would receive over $500/year, and every low-income family would receive nearly $900 per year. This amount would steadily increase over time to more than $1,600 and $2,750 by 2032 for average families and low-income families respectively. Roughly 75% of D.C. residents would see their net incomes increase, with low-income residents seeing a rebate of roughly four dollars for every dollar they pay through the carbon fee. Only the wealthiest D.C. residents, who use substantially more energy than average households, would pay more through the fee than they see in rebate. This progressive rebate structure, combined with green investments and local business tax reductions, will ensure that D.C. reduces carbon while creating net job growth and boosting average incomes. This proposal, for example, would create new jobs in construction, food service, and other high-employment sectors of the economy.
“It is time to put the health and welfare of our communities before polluters’ profits, as communities of color, working families and immigrant communities disproportionately suffer the devastating impacts of toxic pollution and climate change,” said 32BJ SEIU member and private security officer, Judith Howell. “Our communities are targeted and our air and water are poisoned first. But we can work together to overcome and hold polluting corporations and their lobbyists accountable, so we can change the direction of climate change.”
“So many of our D.C. faith communities understand that climate polluters should pay for the damage they’re doing to our common home, and should take responsibility for the harm that their pollution is causing for our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Joelle Novey, Executive Director of Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA). “Looking forward, we anticipate that our country will ultimately put a national price on carbon. We’re getting started today by joining with all people of goodwill in the District to make climate polluters pay.”
See our fact sheet here for more information.


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Victims Of Mountaintop Removal From Dominion’s Proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline Speak Out In Front of Governor McAuliffe’s Office

Following news that Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline would obliterate 38 miles of ridgelines in Virginia and West Virginia, several severely impacted residents and business owners spoke at a Richmond press conference detailing their concerns and calling on McAuliffe to reject the pipeline.

RICHMOND, VA — Virginia residents whose lives and property would be destroyed by mountaintop removal — triggered by Dominion Resources’ proposed fracked-gas pipeline — spoke out at a press conference today outside Governor Terry McAuliffe’s office. They demanded the Governor use his full legal authority to stop Dominion’s plan to explode entire ridgetops along 38 miles of mountains to build the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

According to a new briefing paper, Dominion Resources intends to blast away, excavate, and partially remove entire ridgetops along 38 miles of Appalachian mountains as part of the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Similar impacts – although not yet fully inventoried – are expected to come from the construction of a second pipeline to the south: the Mountain Valley Pipeline led by the company EQT.

During the press conference, speakers demanded the Governor use his regulatory power to halt both proposed pipelines. They detailed how their communities will be directly impacted by the shattered ridgelines that will come with the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. They explained how the Atlantic Coast Pipeline would force businesses to close, lower property values, and harm the tourism economy. Additionally, they detailed how the pipeline would cause irrevocable harms to the natural environment, and increase the threats of water pollution and landslides.

“The proposed pipeline has been a 24/7 nightmare for my wife and I since we first learned of it,” said Bill Limpert, retired environmental regulator and property owner Little Valley, Bath County. “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline would cut our property in half. Then it would leave an 125-foot-wide scar for 3,000 feet along Miracle Ridge, which is now covered by old growth forest — some of it never cut. It would lower our property value by at least 50 percent, and our property would become a toxic asset. It would also leave us well within the blast zone of the pipeline, and we — and a number of our neighbors — are trapped at the head of Little Valley in the evacuation zone with no chance of escape or rescue in a pipeline accident. We would be forced to abandon our retirement home and property if the pipeline is constructed as proposed. We simply cannot live next to this dangerous pipeline or witness the destruction it would bring upon our property, and we will not relent in fighting it with everything we have.”

Engineering and policy experts have examined documents submitted by Dominion to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and, using GIS mapping software, found that Dominion would require mountaintops to be “reduced” by 10 to 60 feet along the proposed route of the pipeline. For perspective, the height equivalent of a five-story building would be erased in places from fully forested and ancient mountains.

In addition to the expected mountaintop removal, Dominion has yet to reveal how it intends to dispose of at least 247,000 dump-truck-loads of excess rock and soil—known as “overburden”—that would accumulate from the construction along just these 38 miles of ridgetops.

Nancy McMoneagle, President and Executive Director of The Monroe Institute, stated: “The Monroe Institute has done business in Nelson County since 1979, contributing almost $2 million annually to Nelson County’s economy, employing around 50 staff and service contractors. If the Atlantic Coast Pipeline comes through Institute property as is now projected, our operations would be decimated, all these jobs would be lost, and thousands of our customers throughout the world would be left without our services.”

Dominion has submitted a proposal to FERC to build a 42-inch diameter pipeline that would transport natural gas from West Virginia into Virginia and North Carolina. Dominion has attempted to paint the Atlantic Coast Pipeline as an “environmentally-friendly” project. However, its proposed construction method and route selection across and along steep mountains is unprecedented for the region—if not the country—and is viewed as extreme and radical by landowners, conservationists, and engineers. Similar impacts – although not yet fully inventoried – could come from the construction of a second pipeline to the south: the Mountain Valley Pipeline led by the company EQT Midstream Partners, LP.

“Dominion is taking our land in order to destroy the mountain ridge directly over our home,” said Joseph W. McMoneagle, President of the New Land Home Owners Association. “Blasting on Roberts Mountain will destroy this mountain’s stability, and permanently disrupt the delicate underground water supply to more than half a dozen homes in our subdivision. Stripping old growth trees and underbrush will open the mountain ridge to heavy erosion, and future mud and landslides that will overrun our natural mountain springs and streams. Most of our residents are over age sixty, so we have a frequent need for emergency vehicles traveling unhindered in and out of our valley. Because our roads are excessively narrow and steep, it will be impossible to pass Dominion’s pipeline construction trucks during one of those emergencies. Altering our roads will be taking our land without the excuse of a pipeline. I ask the Governor to put an immediate stop to this nonsense before someone is seriously hurt.”

The full briefing paper is available here.

###

Contact:

Denise Robbins, 240-396-2022, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org

Anne Havemann, 240-396-1984, anne@chesapeakeclimate.org

D.C. Residents to Take Action at City Hall During Peoples Climate March to Advance Local Climate Justice Campaigns

Tens of Thousands Will Call on D.C. City Council to Cut Ties with Wells Fargo and Put a  Price on Carbon, as They Pass John A. Wilson Building During March for Climate, Jobs, and Justice

 
WASHINGTON — On April 29 during the Peoples Climate March, two D.C.-based climate justice campaigns will engage tens of thousands marching down Pennsylvania Ave. past the John A. Wilson Building to call on D.C. City Councilmembers to support two related campaigns for climate justice. One campaign, led by 24 local organizations in the “Put A Price On It D.C.” Coalition, aims to place a fee on carbon emissions and equitably rebate the revenue back to D.C. residents. The other, led by the D.C. ReInvest Coalition, is advocating for D.C. to divest city funds from Wells Fargo over its investments in the Dakota Access Pipeline. Volunteers will display banners on the steps of City Hall, lead chants and speeches, and distribute flyers giving marchers instructions to take action.
The action will take place during the highly-anticipated March for Climate, Jobs and Justice, where tens of thousands of climate justice activists will march against Donald Trump and his climate science-denying cabinet. D.C. ReInvest Coalition  and the Put a Price on It D.C. Coalition are joining forces to ensure that this national mobilization remains rooted in local campaigns for climate justice and propels its host city forward.

  • What: Thousands of marchers at Peoples Climate March take action at City Hall demanding D.C. City Council support local carbon rebate and Wells Fargo divestment campaigns
  • When: Saturday, April 29, 2017, 12:30 – 2:30 PM
  • Where: Steps of Penn. Ave. entrance, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004,
  • and Jumbotron in Freedom Plaza at 13th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW
  • Who: Put a Price on It D.C. Coalition, D.C. ReInvest Coalition, Peoples Climate Movement, and tens of thousands of marchers for climate justice

 
Background Information:
D.C. has continually surpassed the the federal government—and most states—on climate and clean energy policy. However, existing local legislation is insufficient to meet the City’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50% below 2006 levels by 2032 and 80% by 2050.  At the same time, D.C. continues to suffer high income inequality, among the nation’s highest rates of homelessness, and lack of access to quality food, among other issues plaguing D.C. residents.
The two campaigns leading direct action at City Hall aim to take D.C. back from the grip of polluters responsible for climate disruption and help empower D.C. communities by returning money back to residents. The D.C. ReInvest campaign seeks to divest City finances from banks that support unjust dirty energy projects such as the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines, and reinvest in institutions that will revitalize D.C.’s most vulnerable communities. The Put a Price on It D.C. coalition proposes a local Carbon Fee and Rebate policy, which would be the country’s strongest and most progressive mechanism to price carbon pollution, providing deep economic benefits for D.C.’s most vulnerable residents.
The movements to price carbon pollution and divest from fossil fuels are natural allies. Divestment forces institutions to take a stand against dirty energy and their financiers — and for good reason. For example, Wells Fargo — D.C.’s bank of record and a financial supporter of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines — is also a major investor in private prison corporations that are in part responsible for mass incarceration of people of color, and has settled with the federal government for racist, predatory lending practices.  Choosing to divest signals readiness for an economy rooted in health and sustainability, not racism, greed, and destruction.
In effect, those who divest are ready for a price on carbon. This indispensable climate policy would hold polluters accountable by making them pay for dumping their waste into our shared atmosphere. Carbon pricing generates revenue that can go back to households, making it a uniquely progressive and politically salient climate solution. 
Divesting from dirty energy projects, pricing carbon, and reinvesting in D.C. communities will provide cross-cutting benefits for local residents in addition to advancing the global effort to fight the climate crisis. Pollution from dirty infrastructure, as well as discriminatory practices by major fossil fuel supporters such as Wells Fargo, disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color that already lack economic and political resources and pathways to resilience and sovereignty. Making polluters pay their fair share and returning capital to disadvantaged communities therefore has cascading benefits for racial justice, economic opportunity, and social equity.
The two coalitions are honored to present a unified front—backed by thousands—for responsibility, transparency, and climate justice in D.C. government.
CONTACT:
Denise Robbins; CCAN; 608-620-8819; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
Camila Thorndike; CCAN; 541-951-2619; camila@chesapeakeclimate.org
Charlie Jiang; DC ReInvest Coalition & 350 DC; 773-930-6723; charlieyj12@gmail.com
 

Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline Would Require Extensive Mountaintop Removal

New research exposes how Dominion’s proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline would decapitate 38 miles of ridgelines in Virginia and West Virginia. Evidence will show project is OPPOSITE of “environmentally friendly” and states must reject it

RICHMOND, VA — A briefing paper released today details how Dominion Resources intends to blast away, excavate, and partially remove entire mountaintops along 38 miles of Appalachian ridgelines as part of the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Engineering and policy experts have examined documents submitted by Dominion to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and, using GIS mapping software, found that Dominion would require mountaintops to be “reduced” by 10 to 60 feet along the proposed route of the pipeline. For perspective, the height equivalent of a five-story building would be erased in places from fully forested and ancient mountains.
Furthermore, Dominion has yet to reveal how it intends to dispose of at least 247,000 dump-truck-loads of excess rock and soil—known as “overburden”—that would accumulate from the construction along just these 38 miles of ridgetops.
“In light of the discovery that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will cause 10 to 60 feet of mountaintops to be removed from 38 miles of Appalachian ridges, there is nothing left to debate,” said Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Dominion’s pipeline will cause irrevocable harm to the region’s environmental resources. With Clean Water Act certifications pending in both Virginia and West Virginia, we call on Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and West Virginia Governor Jim Justice to reject this destructive pipeline.”
Dominion has submitted a proposal to FERC to build a 42-inch diameter pipeline that would transport natural gas from West Virginia into Virginia and North Carolina. Dominion has attempted to paint the Atlantic Coast Pipeline as an “environmentally-friendly” project. However, its proposed construction method and route selection across and along steep mountains is unprecedented for the region—if not the country—and is viewed as extreme and radical by landowners, conservationists, and engineers. Similar impacts – although not yet fully inventoried – could come from the construction of a second pipeline to the south: the Mountain Valley Pipeline led by the company EQT Midstream Partners, LP.
“The Atlantic Coast Pipeline could easily prove itself deadly,” said Joyce Burton, Board Member of Friends of Nelson. “Many of the slopes along the right of way are significantly steeper than a black diamond ski slope. Both FERC and Dominion concede that constructing pipelines on these steep slopes can increase the potential for landslides, yet they still have not demonstrated how they propose to protect us from this risk. With all of this, it is clear that this pipeline is a recipe for disaster.”
The briefing paper released today was prepared by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network in coordination with the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance, Friends of Nelson, Appalachian Mountain Advocates, and the Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition. It cites data from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the Federal Energy Regulatory Council (FERC) as well as  information supplied to FERC by Dominion. It also compiles information from GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping software and independent reports prepared by engineers and soil scientists.
Key findings include:

  • Approximately 38 miles of mountains in West Virginia and Virginia will see 10 feet or more of their ridgetops removed in order to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
  • This figure includes 19 miles in West Virginia and 19 miles in Virginia.
  • The majority of these mountains would be flattened by 10 to 20 feet, with some places along the route requiring the removal of 60 feet or more of ridgetop.
  • Building the ACP on top of these mountains will result in a tremendous quantity of excess material, known to those familiar with mountaintop removal as “overburden.”
  • Dominion would likely need to dispose of 2.47 million cubic yards of overburden, from just these 38 miles alone.
  • Standard-size, fully loaded dump trucks would need to take at least 247,000 trips to haul this material away from the construction site.

“It is astounding that FERC has not required Dominion to produce a plan for dealing with the millions of cubic yards of excess spoil that will result from cutting down miles of ridgetop for the pipeline,” said Ben Luckett, Staff Attorney at Appalachian Mountain Advocates. “We know from experience with mountaintop removal coal mining that the disposal of this material has devastating impacts on the headwater streams that are the lifeblood our rivers and lakes. FERC and Dominion’s complete failure to address this issue creates a significant risk that the excess material will ultimately end up in our waterways, smothering aquatic life and otherwise degrading water quality. Without an in-depth analysis of exactly how much spoil will be created and how it can be safely disposed of, the states cannot possibly certify that this pipeline project will comply with the Clean Water Act.”
“Even with Dominion’s refusal to provide the public with adequate information, the situation is clear: The proposed construction plan will have massive impacts to scenic vistas, terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and potentially to worker and resident safety,” said Dan Shaffer, Spatial Analyst with the Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition. “There is no way around it. It’s a bad route, a bad plan, and should never have been seriously considered.”
The full briefing paper is available here.
CONTACT:
Denise, 240-396-2022, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
Anne Havemann, 240-396-1984, anne@chesapeakeclimate.org
Briefing-Paper-Mountaintop-Removal-to-Build-ACP
 

Poll Shows Marylanders Overwhelmingly Support Major Expansion of Renewable Power

Prospect of more clean-energy jobs is seen as moving voters and could impact the 2018 election for Gov. Hogan and Democrats. Seventy-one percent of voters support DOUBLING wind and solar power above current law

Health also seen as a key motivator. And Donald Trump’s fossil fuel agenda seen as pushing many Marylanders toward clean power

ANNAPOLIS, MD – A stunning seventy-one percent of Maryland voters support doubling the state’s commitment to wind and solar power, according to a poll released a week after the close of the 2017 legislative session in Annapolis. The poll suggests clean energy could be a major factor in the 2018 election cycle, with make-or-break consequences for Republican Governor Larry Hogan and other candidates of both parties.

The survey, conducted during the winter General Assembly session by the prominent Maryland polling firm OpinionWorks, highlights a growing trend in the state toward support for clean energy development instead of for fossil fuels. Even before the Maryland House and Senate agreed to ban fracking in March and adopt several bills in support of renewable power during the 2017 session, the poll shows that Marylanders have become increasingly convinced that more jobs result from clean energy with improved health consequences. The survey also suggests that President Trump’s support of fossil fuels actually increases many Marylanders’ support of clean energy.
“This poll identifies a shift in Maryland politics,” said Steve Raabe, president of OpinionWorks, based in Annapolis. “We’ve polled on energy in Maryland for years, and voters have never been this impatient to move the state from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. As a test of voter preference for candidates, clean energy now polls very strongly as a wedge issue. Candidates at all levels should take note.”
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network and its sister organization CCAN Action Fund are nonprofit groups dedicated to building support for doubling wind and solar power in the state. Current Maryland law mandates that 25% of the state’s electricity come from renewable power by 2020. But Gov. Hogan vetoed that law and was overridden by the General Assembly earlier this year. Some advocates are now proposing a 50%-clean electricity standard by 2030. The idea would also include using several million dollars in polluter fees (from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative program) to directly invest in training workers and promoting clean energy job development in the economy.
In the OpinionWorks survey, 71% of registered voters supported a 50% clean electricity standard. Respondents were told that electricity prices would rise slightly under such a policy. Respondents were also told new jobs would likely result from the policy. A majority of registered voters supported the policy in both political parties in every region of the state.
The poll documents the potentially powerful political impact that voter sentiments could have on candidates in the 2018 elections based on clean-energy views. This impact is measured in the poll by comparing the so-called “generic ballot” with what happens when a candidate of one party supports the 50% clean electricity proposal while the candidate of the other party opposes it. Based on the poll responses from registered voters, candidates of either party benefit from supporting the proposal.
For example, if Governor Hogan supports the proposal to expand the state’s renewable energy requirement while his Democratic challenger opposes it, the Governor’s support grows to a whopping 62%. But if Hogan opposes a 50% clean energy standard and his Democratic opponent supports it, the Democrat surges to a 59%-22% percent lead among poll respondents.
A significant finding in the poll – related to job creation – seems to explain these dramatic shifts in candidate support. By a robust 4-to-1 margin, voters believe that moving away from fossil fuels and investing in clean energy will create more jobs in Maryland.
“The job market is a top concern here, and clean energy is increasingly seen as an economic boon in the state,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the CCAN Action Fund. “More Marylanders now work in the solar industry than in the crab industry. This poll confirms that people want more and more of that economic benefit.”
Interestingly, the poll found that efforts by the Trump Administration to promote the use of fossil fuels may be pushing people in the opposite direction in Maryland. Fifty percent (50%) of voters said they would be MORE likely to want Maryland to expand its own commitment to renewable power if they knew that “federal efforts under the Trump administration were focused on increasing fossil fuel use and reducing support for renewable power at the national level.”
Given falling wind and solar prices, some economic models predict that ramping up clean electricity to 50% in Maryland could actually have zero impact on ratepayers over time. The first question in the OpinionWorks poll did reference a possible price increase and, again, the support was 71%. But later in the poll, when respondents are informed of a possible zero-impact scenario, support soared to 84%.
The OpinionWorks poll was conducted in late January and timed for release at the close of the 2017 legislative session. The poll was commissioned by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and is being released by the group’s sister organization, CCAN Action Fund.

EmPOWER Maryland energy efficiency bill becomes law

Legislation expected to create nearly 70,000 jobs, grow economy and save businesses billions of dollars.

The EmPOWER Maryland energy efficiency legislation championed by businesses and environmental organizations has officially become law.
EmPOWER Maryland helps homeowners and businesses reduce energy waste by offering them technical assistance and incentives to take steps such as installing new appliances, sealing air leaks, and optimizing manufacturing production lines.
Gov. Hogan declined to sign the bill, but he didn’t veto it either, and it passed by a veto-proof margin. As a result, it officially became law at midnight this morning.
See reactions from other business and environmental organizations below
So far, the energy efficiency program has saved utility customers $1.8 billion on their electric bills. According to recent, independent research by the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy, the extension is expected to:

  • Create more than 68,000 over the next decade, with most of the jobs in construction and services.
  • Save ratepayers $11.7 billion because of reduced energy consumption.
  • Add $3.75 billion to Maryland’s gross domestic product.

“The new services EmPOWER Maryland provides will create jobs, save ratepayers money and strengthen our economy,” said Brian Toll, Policy Chair with Efficiency First Maryland. “Everyone who pays an electricity bill will benefit.”
Supporters of the bill include major trade associations, businesses, and environmental groups including Union Hospital, Schneider Electric, MGM Resorts, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the Maryland Alliance for Energy Contractors, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, among others.
Quotes
James McGarry, Maryland & DC Policy Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network: “The cheapest and cleanest form of energy is the kind that is never used, thanks to energy efficiency and conservation. This bill will create good-paying jobs in energy efficiency, and help us transition to a clean energy future where our environment is protected for future generations.”
Michael Giangrande, Chairman, Maryland Alliance for Energy Contractors: “As someone who works in energy efficiency, I see firsthand how EmPOWER Maryland is creating jobs and improving people’s lives by saving them money, making their homes more comfortable and keeping electricity costs down.”
Deron Lovaas, Senior Policy Advisor, for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Urban Solutions program: “This is an amazing accomplishment for one of our nation’s most forward-thinking states. EmPOWER Maryland is an example of how common-sense policies like energy efficiency can win support no matter whether you’re a liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat.”
Jessica Ennis, Senior Legislative Representative, Earthjustice: “Clean energy solutions like EmPOWER Maryland are critical to ensuring that we have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink.”

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CONTACT: Denise Robbins; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 240-396-2022