Upper Marlboro, MD —  A Maryland Circuit Court ruled in favor of local community members, environmentalists, and state regulators on a power plant owner’s efforts to block safeguards protecting clean water at the Chalk Point power plant in Prince George’s County.

Clean Water Act permits issued to three Maryland coal plants in 2018 incorporated new federal limits on several toxic pollutants including:

• Arsenic, a known carcinogen and neurotoxin;

• Mercury, another potent neurotoxin;

• Selenium, which is toxic to aquatic life; and

• Nitrogen, which causes algae blooms and dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay.

The limits are set to take effect next year. GenOn Energy, the owner of the three facilities, challenged the permits for its Dickerson (Montgomery County), Morgantown (Charles County), and Chalk Point (Prince George’s County) coal-fired power plants. The permits are being defended in court by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the agency that wrote the permits, and by a coalition of clean water advocates represented by attorneys with the Environmental Integrity Project.

On May 23, 2019, a judge signed an order affirming MDE’s permit for the Chalk Point plant, finding that the clean water advocates were entitled to fully participate in the appeal as parties – a point that was challenged by GenOn – and denying all relief requested by GenOn.

Various organizations released their comments on the decision below:

“For nearly two years now, thousands of Marylanders have called for the elimination of toxic coal waste in their water,” Patrick Grenter Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Maryland. “Coal plant owners have resisted these common sense, affordable pollution controls and have instead opted to pursue fruitless appeals with teams of lawyers. GenOn needs to hear the call: Marylanders are done with coal’s dirty pollution.”

“The Maryland Department of the Environment complied with black letter law in issuing this permit, but GenOn wants more time to continue discharging toxic pollution into the Patuxent River,” said Leah Kelly, Senior Attorney with the Environmental Integrity Project. “The company has known about these new limits since 2015 and waited three years to start planning the necessary technology upgrades. Luckily, the law does not support GenOn’s foot-dragging, and the court saw that right away.”

“There’s no debate that toxic metals in our state’s waterways are incredibly harmful,” said Anne Havemann, General Counsel, Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “GenOn wanted to keep discharging pollutants that can cause risk of cancer, lower IQ among children, and create deformities and reproductive harm in fish and wildlife. We applaud the Maryland Circuit Court for doing the right thing and protecting our communities from the harms of coal.”

Fred Tutman at Patuxent Riverkeeper said, “We are delighted that the Judge saw through GenOn’s arguments. The Chalk Point facility on record has inflicted mostly air and water pollution, including numerous violations, and poisoned groundwater for over 40 + years on Prince Georgians. Justice was served, and the Patuxent will be better off because of it.”

Contact:
Patrick Grenter, patrick.grenter@sierraclub.org, (412) 889-8787
Alex Amend, alex.amend@sierraclub.org, (404) 457-8937
Tom Pelton, tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org, (202) 888-2703
Denise Robbins, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, (608) 620-8819
Frederick Tutman, fred@paxriverkeeper.org, (301) 276-7913 ext 6

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CCAN: “Such a Corporate Takeover of the Maryland’s Public Land has Never Been Attempted Before”

HANCOCK, MD — Yesterday, Columbia Gas filed a complaint in condemnation for the right-of-way to build a highly controversial fracked-gas pipeline underneath the Western Maryland Rail/Trail. Known as the “Potomac Pipeline,” this pipeline would drill under the Potomac River and put the drinking water of 6 million people at risk. In January, the Maryland Board of Public Works unanimously rejected this right-of-way easement for the project, which is proposed by a subsidiary of notorious energy company TransCanada.

The Board of Public Works, which includes Governor Larry Hogan, State Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot, is responsible for protecting Maryland’s “public works,” including state-owned land. It rejected TransCanada’s proposal in January citing the fact that Maryland stood to bear no benefits of the pipeline and all of the harm. The company is now attempting to seize the land through eminent domain proceedings in federal court. To our knowledge, no pipeline company has ever tried to condemn state-owned land in Maryland.

Statement from Brooke Harper, Maryland Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“We didn’t expect Columbia Gas to give up on building the unnecessary and harmful Potomac Pipeline, but we never expected for them to condemn Maryland’s own land through eminent domain proceedings in federal court. As far as we know, such a corporate takeover of Maryland’s public land has never been attempted before.

“This is an arrogant overreach by a company — owned by Canadian energy giant TransCanada — desperate to rake in shareholder profits while locking the region into decades of reliance on fossil fuels.”

Statement from Brent Walls, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper:

“We strongly oppose Columbia Gas’ unprecedented attack on Maryland’s inherent, sovereign authority to manage state parkland for the public’s benefit. It is outrageous that a Texas pipeline company wants to dictate to the State of Maryland where and when it will build a private gas pipeline that provides no benefit and will only endanger Maryland’s natural resources and communities. The risk to the Potomac River and downstream drinking water supplies is clear, and was echoed in the Board of Public Works’ unanimous vote to deny Columbia Gas access to state property for its ill fated pipeline. Maryland state lands are held in trust for the public to use and enjoy, not for private pipeline companies to despoil.”

Statement from Josh Tulkin, Director of the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club:

“We’re not surprised that TransCanada is once again trying to put their profits over the safety of our communities, so I’m sure they won’t be surprised to see Marylanders fighting them again. We stopped this zombie pipeline once before and we’ll do it again.”

 

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About the 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 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 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.

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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.

Bill Caps Carbon While Helping Middle Class

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)  introduced the Healthy Climate and Family Security Act of 2019. This ‘cap-and-dividend’ policy is a simple, fair, and effective way to address the dangers of climate change. The bill would put more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans, thus increasing their spending power and growing our economy. Learn more here.
In response, Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:

“For a decade, Senator Chris Van Hollen has been a uniquely urgent voice on climate change and a stubborn advocate for real solutions. Today, he reintroduced his elegant, equitable, and durable policy to cap carbon emissions nationwide while enhancing the lives of low- and moderate-income Americans. We also salute the climate leadership of Congressman Don Beyer, who has been a long-time supporter of the cap-and-dividend policy and a stalwart champion of clean energy.

“The Healthy Climate and Family Security Act is a policy first introduced years ago but whose time has come with the latest dire warnings from climate scientists. The policy is calibrated to match the latest science, creating a pathway for the US to help keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degree Celsius. It does this by putting in place transparent ‘upstream’ caps on coal, oil, and natural gas as they enter the US economy. It creates revenue that is then equally distributed to all US households in a progressive manner. Up to 80 percent of all households thus see net economic benefits from this policy while carbon is simultaneously and gradually squeezed out of our economy.

“This is the inevitable policy solution to climate change, in my view. We can no longer wait for the adoption of this responsible and effective approach to the climate crisis.”

The Healthy Climate and Family Security Act caps carbon pollution and reduces CO2 emissions gradually but steadily. It auctions carbon pollution permits to the first sellers of oil, coal, and natural gas into the U.S. market, and returns 100 percent of the auction proceeds electronically each quarter to every American in the form of a Healthy Climate Dividend. A University of Massachusetts Amherst study found a ‘cap-and-divided’ approach would mean more than 80 percent of families would see more money in their pockets, even before taking into account the economic benefits of preventing the costly impacts of climate change.
CONTACT:  Denise Robbins, Communications Director, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, 608-620-8819
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 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.

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Water Board Withdrew Motion to Revoke MVP Permit Despite Hundreds of Water Violations and Criminal Investigation

RICHMOND, VA — Today, the Virginia State Water Control Board withdrew its motion to revoke a permit of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Statement from Harrison Wallace, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“The State Water Control Board passed up a momentous opportunity to put an end to the environmental injustice of the fracked-gas Mountain Valley Pipeline. This project, now under criminal investigation, has been incredibly harmful to the livelihoods of scores of Virginians, but it seems that state regulators and lawyers pressured the Board into inaction.

“Even though the Board may have relinquished its opportunity to revoke the permits, the hundreds of violations, lawsuits, and pending criminal investigation of MVP warrant an immediate stop work order.

“We at CCAN call on Attorney General Mark Herring to file an emergency injunction to stop work on this project while these issues are investigated.

“We will also continue to work with our supporters and partners to highlight the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s blatant disregard for clean water along its path. We will work with our partners to monitor the pipeline and continue to address the pipeline’s shoddy permits through legal action. If justice is served, this monstrosity will never be operational.”

Background:
Thousands of Virginians have mobilized over the past five years to stand against the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. See fact sheet here. Since construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline began, the project has racked up over 300 violations and it is now under criminal investigation.
CONTACT:
Harrison Wallace Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 804-305-1472, harrison@chesapeakeclimate.org
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 240-630-1889, denise@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 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.

Environmental Groups Call for Accountability in the EPA

WASHINGTON, DC — Newly released EPA records confirm that former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt spent a disproportionate amount for his personal security detail to travel with him – nearly 210% more than his predecessor, former Administrator Gina McCarthy.
These records, which were newly obtained by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) and the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, indicate that the travel expenditures for Mr. Pruitt’s personal security over the seven month period from September 2017 to March 2018 totaled $376,988. EPA had previously disclosed total travel expenditures for Mr. Pruitt’s security detail of $514,810 from February 2017 through August 2017. The newly disclosed expenses bring the total travel costs over the fourteen months to $891,798.
These new records confirm the conclusions of EPA’s Office of Inspector General, which released an audit of Mr. Pruitt’s personal security detail and travel expenses on September 4, 2018. As the Audit notes, these numbers represented a nearly 210% increase in personal security detail travel expenses to cover Mr. Pruitt, compared to expenses over a comparable 11-month timeframe for Ms. McCarthy. The records for 2018 obtained by CCAN and EIP, which have information not included in the Audit, indicate that EPA spent $173,004 on travel by personal security detail to accompany Mr. Pruitt in the first three months of 2018 alone – 74% of the total personal security detail travel costs incurred by Ms. McCarthy over 11 months.
The Audit also concluded that EPA had failed to justify why Mr. Pruitt needed such a large security detail, or why he incurred such substantial travel expenses. In fact, the Audit found EPA had never conducted a threat assessment for Mr. Pruitt, and concluded that EPA appeared to lack coherent policies for personal security staffing decisions or threat assessment at all. “These documents uncovered by CCAN and EIP are further proof of Pruitt’s wasteful and ethically challenged leadership of EPA,” said Anne Havemann, General Counsel for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Instead of spending taxpayer money to protect human health and the environment, Trump’s top pick for the agency was more interested in spending lavishly on an unjustified security detail to manage an unidentified threat. One more thing to add to the growing list of fake emergencies in the Trump era.”
It is unclear whether EPA has taken any additional actions on this matter since the September 4 Audit, or whether it intends to pursue the matter further. In its November 2018 Semi-Annual Report to Congress, EPA’s Office of Inspector General noted that several ethics investigations into Mr. Pruitt were unable to be completed and had to be closed as “inconclusive,” due to Mr. Pruitt’s resignation prior to being interviewed by the Office’s investigators. “Although Mr. Pruitt is no longer in office, we strongly believe that he should still be held responsible for his many misdeeds during his short tenure,” said Sylvia Lam, Attorney for the Environmental Integrity Project. “Accountability is essential to deterring similar abuses of power in the future.”
Some members of Congress appear to agree. On December 19, 2018, Representative Elijah E. Cummings, now Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, stated that he intended to continue these investigations upon resumption of the next Congress. In the same letter, Chairman Cummings requested that EPA fully comply with the Committee’s previously unanswered requests for documents regarding Mr. Pruitt, including documents related to his personal security detail and travel expenditures.
CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, 608-620-8819
Anne Havemann, General Counsel, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, anne@chesapeakeclimate.org, 202-997-2466

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CCAN Statement: Dominion Methane Announcement Is Laughable

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Dominion Energy announced its intention to reduce methane emissions from natural gas infrastructure by 50 percent over the next decade. Dominion Energy is the main company behind the push to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would bring fracked gas from West Virginia, through Virginia, and into North Carolina.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s Virginia Director Harrison Wallace issued the following statement in response:

“Nice try. The best way for Dominion to reduce methane emissions is to abandon its plans to build its controversial and unnecessary $7.5 billion pipeline. Dominion’s announcement will avoid 430,000 metric tons of methane from entering the atmosphere (36.98 million tons of C02e) over the ten-year period. The ACP will far more than offset that gain, emitting nearly 68 million metric tons of planet-warming gases (C02e) into the atmosphere on an annual basis.

“It’s refreshing that Dominion acknowledges that methane is harmful to our planet. But, if Dominion wants to make real and significant progress towards a stable climate, they should stop building the ACP and killing ambitious clean energy measures in the General Assembly.  We’ll know they’re serious about climate change if they start taking meaningful action to build a grid that is powered by 100% renewable energy.”

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 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.

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network Holds “Climate Underachiever” Polar Bear Plunge

RICHMOND, VA — On behalf of its 20,000 members from across Virginia, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network presented its first-ever “Climate Underachiever” awards to Dominion Energy and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on Saturday, February 9. Dozens of activists gathered for the first-ever “Climate Underachiever Polar Bear Plunge,” a fun event to raise awareness about climate change and raise funds to support the Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s campaigns for clean energy solutions in Virginia.

The event took place two weeks after CCAN’s 14th annual “Keep Winter Cold” Polar Bear Plunge at National Harbor, just south of DC. The event celebrated climate progress in DC and Maryland,  where local leaders are moving forward as the federal government backtracks. For the first time, CCAN brought this exciting energy to Richmond to highlight Virginia’s underachievers on climate — by dipping a single toe into the James River.

Richard Watson, Virginia Beach small business owner, said, “I’m living with the aftermath of Virginia’s underachievers every day. In my coastal community, climate change is at our doorstep, bringing floods and storms and threatening our way of life. Many are considering packing up and moving away. I hope our leaders can recognize the damage that our underachievers have already brought us.”

Dominion Energy has already worked to kill multiple progressive energy bills that were considered in the 2019 Virginia General Assembly session. The utility monopoly threw its weight against the “Solar Freedom” bill, which would have removed many of the barriers in Virginia law that limit solar use on homes, local businesses, schools, and other government buildings.

“Once again, Dominion has done its dirty worth in the General Assembly, and every decent clean energy bill has been killed,” said Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “This is par for the course for Virginia’s biggest climate underachiever. Today, we are recognizing Dominion’s legacy that will cause irreparable climate harm, and calling on the rest of Virginia to fight back and lead the way on climate.”

It also opposed bills to bring more renewable energy to the Commonwealth, to create an inventory on state greenhouse gas emissions, to mandate efficiency goals, and more.

And Dominion continues to double down on the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline for fracked-gas and its compressor station in Buckingham County, despite years of massive opposition and the fact that the pipeline would lead to the equivalent of 20 new coal-fired power plants in greenhouse gas emissions.

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was also recognized for allowing Dominion to push through its dangerous fossil fuel proposals and failing to fully protect Virginians from their impacts. DEQ officials testified strongly in favor of both the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Buckingham County compressor station, even providing misleading statistics in favor of the compressor station.

“Dominion and the DEQ have been working hand in hand to force a dirty compressor station on our community,” said Chad Oba, President of Friends of Buckingham. “We are at a critical juncture and climate science clearly indicates that we must make a change now. We should be working towards clean energy solutions. Allowing new fossil fuel projects is going backwards. Virginia’s legacy of underachievement in this respect has come home to roost and is putting my community at great risk.”

Dominion is ranked the second-worst utility in the country on efficiency. And partly because of Dominion’s previous efforts to stop and undermine the state’s clean electricity standard, Virginia is ranked 38th in the country on solar potential.

To the north, CCAN activists have celebrated recent landmark victories, including the rejection of a fracked-gas pipeline underneath the Potomac River and the passage of the Clean Energy DC Act, which is the strongest legislative mandate on climate change in the country. Activists see potential for the same success in Virginia, but it means standing up to the state’s underachievers in the name of climate action.

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, 608-620-8819
Danniele Fulmer, Donor Engagement Coordinator, danniele@chesapeakeclimate.org, 724-599-7800

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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.

 

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CCAN Denounces Governor Northam’s Racist Yearbook Photo, Demands Resignation

 
Harrison Wallace, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, released the following statement:
“Last night, on the first day of Black History Month, a disturbing photo of Governor Ralph Northam from his Eastern Virginia Medical School Yearbook resurfaced on the internet. The image brought Virginia’s dark history of racism back into the limelight and opened many unhealed wounds within Virginia’s most traumatized communities. No matter the era, or the messenger, blackface costumes and Ku Klux Klan regalia have represented terror and fear for communities of color since Reconstruction. There is no excuse for wearing them.
“From Buckingham to this bombshell, Governor Northam has offered inadequate apologies to communities of color and has refused to atone for the harm he has caused them. At this point, the only way for Virginia to begin to heal from this dark reminder of our turbulent racial history is for Governor Northam to resign.”
 
Previously: STATEMENT: GOVERNOR NORTHAM FAILS TO PROTECT CITIZENS OF UNION HILL
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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