Tag: Virginia

Activists rally to stop Cuccinelli repeal of VA clean energy law, offer solutions to strengthen it

Appalachian Voices ■ Chesapeake Climate Action Network ■ Sierra Club Virginia Chapter

For Immediate Release
January 17, 2013

Contact:
Beth Kemler, 804-335-0915, beth@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

Dozens of activists hold day of action at the Capitol to call on lawmakers to ‘fix, not nix’ the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, move forward on Virginia wind and solar power

RICHMOND—Dozens of activists from across Virginia converged on the capitol in Richmond today for a rally and day-long action to protest legislation proposed earlier this week by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that would effectively repeal Virginia’s top clean energy law. The activists joined environmental and health leaders to call on state lawmakers to oppose the repeal and instead strengthen the Renewable Portfolio Standard law so that it fulfills its original intent to spur the development of solar and wind power.

Climate warriors of Virginia fight back against Dom-inelli's RPS Nix

While Dominion Power and Attorney General Cuccinelli rolled out the product of their controversial alliance to harm the environment and the climate, CCANers and members of other allied groups took action today at the General Assembly, stressing the need to Fix Virginia’s RPS, and not let legislators nix our only provisions that reward clean energy.
Continue reading

clean energy Dominion Virginia Power RPS solar energy Virginia wind energy

Cuccinelli and Dominion Move to Repeal Virginia’s Clean Electricity Standard

For Immediate Release

January 15, 2013

Contact:

Beth Kemler, 804-335-0915, beth@chesapeakeclimate.org

Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

Proposed legislation would harm environment and, opponents say, constitutes a confession that Dominion has accepted $77 million from ratepayers without properly fulfilling intent of current law

RICHMOND—Dominion Virginia Power has informed environmental groups that the company has reached a tentative agreement with Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to support legislation that would effectively repeal the state’s signature clean energy law. The move, environmentalists said, would not only harm the environment but also represents a de facto admission of guilt by Dominion. The company has already accepted $77 million from ratepayers without making the clean energy investments that the General Assembly first intended with its original 2007 law.

renewable energy Virginia

VA Utilities Receive Failing Grades in Renewable Energy ‘Report Card’

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2012

Contact:
Beth Kemler, 202-641-0955, beth@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

Environmentalists agree with AG Cuccinelli that renewable energy law is broken, but propose substantive fixes instead of the repeal of all incentives

RICHMOND—A state environmental group today released an analysis of new data showing that Virginia’s renewable energy law grants electric utilities huge customer-funded rewards for a failing performance. The report puts clean energy advocates in the rare position of agreeing with Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, whose office presented its findings that Virginia’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) law is a bad deal for consumers to members of the General Assembly on the same day.

Where the two sides strongly disagree, however, is how to fix the law. The report card offers a suite of solutions that the General Assembly can enact to fulfill, rather than abandon, the law’s original purpose of spurring clean energy in the commonwealth.

Virginia

Why Cuccinelli is Right – and Wrong – About the RPS

On Thursday, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli released a scathing, comprehensive report on the ineffectiveness of Virginia’s voluntary Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The following are excerpts of his findings:

Virginia

Obama Administration Takes Important Step Forward on Virginia Offshore Wind, But Process Raises Cause for Concern

For Immediate Release

November 30, 2012

Contact:

Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

Mike Tidwell, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org

RICHMOND – Chesapeake Climate Action Network Director Mike Tidwell had the following statement in response to the Obama administration’s announcement that it is moving forward with offshore wind lease sales off the coasts of Virginia, Massachusetts and Rhode Island:

“Today, Virginia is one step closer to harnessing clean, offshore wind power, and we applaud the Obama administration for taking this step forward. At the same time, the decision to lease the waters off Virginia as a single block is cause for concern.

offshore wind energy Virginia

VA climate action at sprint-to-the-finish Obama rally

After watching three presidential debates in which climate change was mentioned a grand total of zero times, Richmond area CCANers struck with our well-known banner at today’s big swing-state candidate appearance in sunny Byrd Park!

clean energy climate change coal plant oil solar Virginia wind energy

Virginia Students Pledge to for a Clean Energy Future

Just days after the second Presidential debate, Barack Obama returned to Virginia today to rally his supporters in the last few weeks before the big day. While thousands of students, community members, and families lined the streets of George Mason University to show their support for the President, I was pleasantly surprised to find that one thing was on a lot of people’s minds: climate change. And they weren’t happy about it.

climate change Virginia

Celebrating 10 Years/Recharging for Many More

It was 10 years ago, in 2002, that CCAN began when Mike Tidwell decided to change his life. Moved by his growing appreciation for the seriousness of the climate crisis, he stopped being a book author and journalist and, instead, began devoting his time, energy, passion and skills to the cause of slowing and stopping global warming.

On September 29^th, during a wonderful CCAN picnic on a wonderful fall day in Rock Creek Park, Mike talked to the 100 or so people present about the changes we have helped to bring about over those 10 years, among them:

climate DC Maryland Victories Virginia

Standing up to Dominion's Rip-Off, in October and beyond

What could have prepared Dominion executives for the tremendous showing of customer outrage and dissatisfaction unleashed the week of October 1st! Without our dedicated climate warriors who participated and supported the Week of Action, Dominion would continue to quietly, and legally, get away with setting up a $76 million bonus for themselves while playing keep-away with Virginia’s clean energy future. Since the Week of Action, the clean air advocates and climate protectors of Virginia got control of the ball, and for a change Dominion representatives have had to respond to some hard questions from reporters.

The Stand Up to Dominion Week of Action was so successful because of the participation of clean energy supporters from all around Virginia, and it was especially uplifting to have everyone sharing their reasons for taking action.

clean energy climate change Dominion Virginia Power fossil fuels Hampton Roads renewable energy sea level rise solar energy Virginia wind energy