CCAN Statement: Northam DEQ announcement raises serious concerns

CCAN “Highly Skeptical” That DEQ Head can Lead its Own Internal Review; Calls on Paylor to Recuse Himself

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Governor Northam announced Executive Order 6, which instructs David Paylor, Director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, to perform a comprehensive review of DEQ’s permitting, monitoring, and enforcement activities.
Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:

“We agree with Governor Northam that the Department of Environmental Quality needs to be seriously reformed, so we commend him for that. However, we are highly skeptical that DEQ Director David Paylor can oversee this internal review in a fair and comprehensive manner.

“The DEQ is a broken agency, and Director David Paylor is the one that broke it. In his 12 years running the agency, he has regularly sided with polluters over the environment. He has accepted gifts from mega-polluter Dominion Energy and permitted polluter-friendly practices across the Commonwealth.

“The timing of this announcement is particularly painful for the landowners who live along the route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline for fracked gas, to which DEQ just gave final approval in a process widely viewed as flawed.

“We believe David Paylor should be replaced as DEQ Director. If Governor Northam keeps him on, however, Paylor should recuse himself from this much-needed agency review. We hope Governor Northam will consider turning the review over completely to the Secretary of Natural Resources in order to ensure real and substantive changes at the DEQ.”

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 608-620-8819, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
Mike Tidwell, Director, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org

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CCAN Calls On Governor Northam To Replace David Paylor as DEQ Head

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Governor Northam re-appointed David Paylor as director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:

“Governor Northam has taken several positive steps since taking office to improve environmental protection and advocacy in the state. He has supported joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and has pushed Dominion Energy to invest more in renewable power and efficiency. But today, the Governor has seriously dropped the ball in re-appointing David Paylor as director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

“Any quick Google search of Paylor’s name brings up stories of serious controversy. In 12 years at the DEQ helm, Paylor has consistently sided with polluting industries over environmental advocacy groups. Paylor, above all else, is very, very cozy with the state’s biggest polluter, Dominion Energy. The director has outraged health and environmental leaders by siding with Dominion on the dumping of coal ash in rivers and, most notoriously, the construction of patently harmful pipelines for fracked gas like the ACP and MVP. Paylor barely hides his close connection to Dominion. In 2013, he accepted an all-expenses-paid trip from Dominion to the Masters Golf Tournament in Georgia, including a fully paid bar tab.

“Governor Northam, today, missed an important opportunity to take a concrete step forward for the environment by replacing Paylor with someone who truly values the protection of the environment. We call on the Governor to reconsider his decision and replace Paylor as soon as possible.”

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CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 608-620-8819, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
Mike Tidwell, Director, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org

Thousands call on Gov. Northam to protect Virginia waters from fracked-gas pipelines

Event comes on heels of after-hours DEQ announcement to allow MVP construction

Richmond, Va. — Citizens representing Virginia landowners, the faith community, scientists, people of color, water protectors and clean energy advocates today called on Governor Ralph Northam to protect Virginia’s waters by taking immediate action on the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. The action comes the morning after Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality approved water pollution plans for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, paving the way for its construction.
At a press conference at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square, citizens presented the Northam administration with 10,000 petition signatures signed by Virginian residents. The signatories call on the governor to protect the drinking water supplies of countless Virginians from the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines, which would cross streams and other waters more than 1,400 times across the state.

For high-resolution photos (available shortly), please contact Cat McCue at cat@appvoices.org or 434-953-8672

The group also presented a petition from Change.org with more than 62,000 signatures from other concerned citizens from around the country calling on Governor Northam to reject the pipelines. In addition to the projects’ tremendous climate impacts that affect all Americans, the projects bisect national treasures including the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail, and many miles of national forest land.
The petition demands that the Northam administration immediately halt the ongoing tree-felling along the routes, allow the public to review and comment on the erosion and stormwater control plans before they are finalized by the Department of Environmental Quality, and take action to ensure the state analyzes individual stream impacts, rather than the Trump administration’s Corps of Engineers.
Just yesterday evening, at 7 p.m., the Department of Environmental Quality announced it had finalized the water plans for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, authorizing the start of land-disturbing activities, without letting the public have one last chance to provide feedback on the critical water pollution plans.
“Citizens all along the MVP route have spent years educating themselves about this project and its potential impacts — everything is at stake for them. They’ve been asking Gov. Northam and his administration for one more chance to review these critical water pollution control plans before the DEQ finalized them and allowed construction to proceed. In an affront to all Virginians, this decision shut them out,” said Peter Anderson, Virginia Program Manager with Appalachian Voices.
“My question for Governor Northam is simple: did you really mean it when you said the DEQ reviews had to be thorough, transparent, and based on science? The science is clear – these projects will be the most damaging for Virginia’s waters in decades. It is time to turn your words into action,” said David Sligh with Wild Virginia.
“Governor Northam promised to hold these dangerous pipelines to the highest environmental standards,” said Jamshid Bakhtiari, Virginia Field Coordinator at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Now, we’re seeing him already go back on this promise. The DEQ will allow the Mountain Valley Pipeline to begin construction, threatening the communities of countless Virginians, without allowing for any further public input. These pipelines will lock us into fossil fuels for decades if Governor Northam doesn’t take action. Thousands and thousands of concerned residents in Virginia — and across the country — are watching.”
“The plans approved for the Mountain Valley Pipeline are not environmentally sound and, from an engineering standpoint, will not sufficiently protect the environment and our drinking water from the pipeline’s construction impacts,” Kirk Bowers, Professional Engineer and Pipelines Program Coordinator for the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, said. “Sierra Club had to utilize a Freedom of Information Act request in order to fully review the plans and come to these conclusions. Leaving those in the public without the financial and legal resources to use the FOIA in the dark is absolutely unacceptable. All Virginians should have had a chance to review and evaluate these plans for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and should get the chance for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.”
At the press conference, the citizens handed the petitions to the Administration’s office. They held different color survey tape to show the average 125-foot width of pipeline tree-felling and construction, and the 50-foot permanent right-of-way that will scar hundreds of miles of mountains, farms and fields through the commonwealth. They also held several large posters with pictures showing some of the places the pipelines will impact as well as pictures of failed erosion controls on other pipeline projects in mountainous terrain.
The event was organized by Appalachian Voices, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, and Wild Virginia.

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Contact:
Lara Mack, Appalachian Voices, lara@appvoices.org 540-246-9720 (m)
Jamshid Bahktiari, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, jamshid@chesapeakeclimate.org 757-386-8107
Kirk Bowers, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, kirk.bowers@sierraclub.org 434- 249 1439

More than 370 Virginians Attend DEQ Hearings to Cut Carbon Now

Participants call on DEQ to implement strong protections against polluting, harmful power plants.

Richmond, VIRGINIA– The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality held the final public hearing on Virginia’s Carbon Reduction Plan today. At the hearing, participants called for the strongest possible standard to cut Virginia’s carbon pollution from fossil fuel burning power plants. The public hearing was preceded by a press conference held by community members and activists, which was attended by about 50 people.
The Virginia Carbon Reduction Plan is designed to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuel-burning power plants by 30 percent by the year 2030. More than 370 Virginians attended all six hearings that took place across the state, with about 150 people testifying in favor of strong safeguards to support clean energy careers, protect the health of families against fossil fuel burning power plants and reduce the negative impacts of climate change.
“Virginia is taking a step forward, while on the federal level the Trump administration is doing a dangerous dance reducing lifesaving safeguards,” Kate Addleson, Director of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, said. “All Virginians can take pride in our Commonwealth for developing a standard that will require corporate polluters to take responsibility for their harmful pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions, that are damaging the health and environment of our communities, ”
“The Governor’s administration understands that action on climate change can’t wait,” Angela Navarro, Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources said. “One important component of the rule is participation in the regional carbon market which would allow Virginia to reduce emissions. The regional market is bipartisan and proven, and will be a cost-effective market-based way to reduce carbon. We look forward to being the first south eastern state to move forward with limiting carbon pollution.”
In Virginia, the increase in extreme hot weather, due to climate change, between May and August 2016 lead to 1,700 admissions to the ER for heat related illnesses. Athletes, students, and outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable to heat illness in oppressive weather conditions. Weather imbalances are also leading to longer and more severe allergy seasons. Over the last 30 years, the peak tree pollen count has increased by over 50 percent in Richmond. A warmer climate not only supports a wider spread of diseases and illnesses, but it also releases viruses that have been trapped in ice caps for centuries.
“My patients are the manual laborers who work outside during the hot summer, they’re the elderly, children and low income people who feel the effects of climate change the most,” Dr. Janet Eddy with Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action, said.
Low-income families and communities of color are among those who are most vulnerable to climate change and dirty fossil fuel pollutants. Virginia’s Carbon Reduction Plan must ensure reductions in carbon pollution in environmental justice communities and put in place a mechanism that ensures reductions of co-pollutant greenhouse gas emissions by facilities located in or near affected neighborhoods.
“Environmental justice has to be addressed in this plan. As the trailblazer Virginia always has been, we should assure that benefits accrue for all communities, and there is a mechanism in place to ensure affected communities see carbon reduction,” Harrison Wallace, Virginia Policy Coordinator and Coastal Campaigns Manager at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

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CONTACT:
Sumer Shaikh, sumer.shaikh@sierraclub.org, (774) 545-0128
 

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.

DEQ Public Hearings to Cut Carbon Now in Virginia: March 6 – March 19

Participants call on DEQ to implement strong regulations against polluting, harmful power plants

VIRGINIA – Between March 6 and March 19, Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will be holding six public hearings on Virginia’s Carbon Reduction Plan, or Executive Directive 11 (ED 11). Virginia is the first southern state to take initiative on limiting and capping carbon pollution from fossil fuel-burning power plants. The Virginia Carbon Reduction Plan is designed to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuel-burning power plants by 30 percent by the year 2030, help generate new clean energy jobs, and put the Commonwealth on track for continued reductions beyond 2030. ED 11’s approach is the same one that is being successfully used in nine other states that comprise the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and would allow Virginia to link to the existing RGGI program.
“Virginia has a chance to embrace the new technology of clean energy, move away from outdated, dirty fossil-fuel burning power plants, and enjoy the benefits that renewable energy is bringing to other states,” Kate Addleson, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter Director, said. “The ED11 hearings provide all stakeholders an opportunity to have a say in how best to safeguard our health and environment. The regulations should be included a starting cap between 30 and 32 million tons of emissions by 2020 and continued reduction of the carbon cap beyond 2030.”
“Virginia’s decision to cap carbon emissions through a market-based approach like RGGI offers a great opportunity to improve the livelihood and health of low-income families and communities of color who are most vulnerable to climate change and dirty fossil fuel pollutants. In order to achieve that goal, ED11 should ensure that there are emission reductions in environmental justice communities and that there is a mechanism that ensures reductions of greenhouse gas co-pollutant emissions by facilities located in or near environmental justice neighborhoods,” said Harrison Wallace, Virginia Policy Coordinator and Coastal Campaigns Manager at Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
“As we begin the hearings for ED11, a significant concern that must be addressed is the woody biomass loophole, which exempts Dominion Energy’s 4 woody biomass plants from the carbon regulations. Granting such significant free giveaways to industrial carbon polluters renders Virginia’s carbon program less efficient and gives Dominion an unfair economic advantage,” Walton Shephard, Policy Analyst and Attorney at the Natural Resource Defence Council, said. “Given that biomass greenhouse gas emissions are higher than those from burning fossil fuels, there’s no reason to exempt biomass from Virginia’s carbon program.”
“The clean energy industry is creating jobs, increasing manufacturing, and lowering customers’ electricity bills. In 2016, the number of solar jobs in VA increased by 65 percent. If the state received 10% of its power from the sun by 2023, Virginia would see over 50,400 more jobs. Between 2013 to 2016, energy efficiency business revenue in Virginia increased from $300 million to $1.5 billion. A policy that levels the playing field by pricing carbon will further drive clean energy investment,” said Francis Hodsoll, CEO of SolUnesco.
“Over a course of five years, RGGI states have prevented hundreds of premature deaths, reduced ER visits, and avoided thousands of asthma attacks through their carbon reduction plan. These health benefits were so great that they have even lead to positive health implications in the neighboring states, including Virginia,” Dr. Leon Vinci of Health Promotion Consults, said. “It is time for Virginia to not only accept residual health benefits from our neighbors, but to also lead the South in regulating the harmful effects of fossil fuel burning power plants at home.”
Hearings will be held across the state between March 6 to March 19. Below is a list of all hearings, locations, and times. Public comments can be submitted here: http://vasierra.club/cutcarbon
ABINGDON CARBON RULE PUBLIC HEARING: March 7, 2018 at 5:00pm
355 Deadmore St., Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
ROANOKE CARBON RULE PUBLIC HEARING: March 8, 2018 at 5:00pm
3019 Peters Creek Rd, Roanoke, VA 24019, USA
VIRGINIA BEACH CARBON RULE PUBLIC HEARING: March 12, 2018 at 5:00pm
5636 Southern Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, USA
HARRISONBURG CARBON RULE PUBLIC HEARING: March 14, 2018 at 5:00pm
4101-4599 Early Rd, Mt Crawford, VA 22841, USA
WOODBRIDGE CARBON RULE PUBLIC HEARING: March 15, 2018 at 5:00pm
13901 Crown Ct, Woodbridge, VA 22193, USA
RICHMOND CARBON RULE PUBLIC HEARING: March 19, 2018 at 1:30pm
1111 East Main St., Third Floor, Richmond, VA 23219, USA

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Contact:
Sumer Shaikh: sumer.shaikh@sierraclub.org, (774) 545-0128
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.

McAuliffe officials reverse promise on pipelines. Time to act.

Seven weeks ago, we applauded the McAuliffe Administration’s announcement that it would conduct thorough, site-specific reviews of the impacts that the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines would have on water quality. After years of public pressure, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was finally planning to give these massive pipelines the thorough environmental review they deserve.
On Wednesday, DEQ abandoned that promise. 
The agency says it made a mistake. It was never planning to look at the pipelines’ impacts to Virginia streams, DEQ now says. Instead, the agency wants to abdicate that responsibility to President Trump’s Army Corps of Engineers, which is expected to issue a blanket one-size-fits-all permit that does not look at each individual stream crossing, and therefore does not fully protect these water bodies.
This is Gov. McAuliffe’s responsibility! DEQ works for him. Tell McAuliffe the state MUST do more to protect VA’s waterways.
Back in April, the DEQ was unequivocal. We will look “at each wetland, stream crossing … separately, to determine specific requirements that would be necessary” to protect Virginia waterways, a DEQ spokesperson told the Roanoke Times.
This was hopeful news. If the DEQ carries out thorough, site-specific reviews, we believe it will have had no choice but to reject these disastrous pipelines. There’s no doubt that building the pipelines across steep, well-watered, forested mountain landscapes will harm water resources, including heavy sedimentation of streams, alteration of runoff patterns and stream channels, disturbance of groundwater flow, and damage to springs and water supplies.

The Army Corps process does not involve site-specific analyses. We have no confidence that the Corps’ permit will be sufficient for such a complex project across the state’s steepest mountains. The DEQ is evading its responsibility to conduct thorough reviews of all threats to water quality posed by these pipeline projects.
The state must do more to protect Virginia’s waterways from pipelines. Call McAuliffe today.