President Biden Further Slashes Offshore Wind Lease Areas in Central Atlantic 

CCAN responds: Final offshore wind maps are insufficient for regional offshore wind goals

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Biden Administration announced that it is slashing a major portion of the areas in the Central Atlantic that may be leased for offshore wind development. This decision will undercut the ability of Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina to achieve their renewable energy goals and set back progress towards America’s clean energy transformation.  

To achieve their combined offshore wind goals, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina must build 11 gigawatts of offshore wind in new lease areas. In July 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) put out a map of three proposed new lease areas — areas A-2, B-1, and C-1 — that would have collectively allowed between 4 and 8 gigawatts of offshore wind to be built. 

Maryland supporters of offshore wind urged President Biden to expand this map to allow the Central Atlantic states to hit their offshore wind goals. Rather than expand the areas being leased, today BOEM announced that they would be cutting lease area B-1 entirely. 

“The Biden Administration had the opportunity to provide all the lease area needed to allow Maryland to achieve our goal of building 8.5 gigawatts of offshore wind, but they opted not to,” said Jamie DeMarco, Maryland Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “No one fought harder for Maryland in this process than Senator Chris Van Hollen and Governor Wes Moore. Their efforts helped secure commitments for future offshore wind lease sales, and we are very grateful for their work.”

While all the area outlined in black on the map above was originally identified as potential offshore wind locations, only area C and a portion of area A will be granted for offshore wind use. 

CCAN is committed to ensuring the existing lease areas in the Central Atlantic are filled to capacity as quickly as possible through implementation of the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019 and the Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER) Act of 2023. 

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Contact: 
Jamie DeMarco, Maryland Director, jamie@chesapeakeclimate.org, 201-937-7017
KC Chartrand, Communications Director, kc@chesapeakeclimate.org, 240-620-7144

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with climate change in the Chesapeake Bay region. For over 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and beyond.

Virginia Marine Resources Commission Approves Water Permit for Pipeline Project Despite 100% Public Opposition

VMRC allowed little time and made little effort to solicit public comments – and then ignored the 174 public comments opposing the project.

RICHMOND, VA. Yesterday, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) approved a wetlands permit for the Virginia Reliability Project, which would dig up 49 miles of a 12-inch diameter pipeline running from Hampton Roads to Central Virginia and replace it with a 24-inch pipeline. The project would quadruple the pipeline’s capacity to channel dangerous, planet-warming methane gas. Within one mile of the pipeline’s route, more than half the population are communities of color and nearly half the population live below the poverty line.

VMRC allowed for just 15 days of public comment, starting the Monday of Thanksgiving week, and did not publicize the opportunity in the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall Public Notices. Nevertheless, 174 comments were filed to oppose the project, constituting 100% of all public comments received. VMRC issued a decision on the permit on the day that the comment period closed, so it is unclear whether commissioners reviewed the comments. 

Statement from Charles Brown, Hampton Roads Organizer for Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“It is beyond absurd that VMRC did less than the bare minimum to notify the public about the opportunity to submit comments – and then did not take into account the fact that 100% of comments were in opposition to the project. What is the point of public comment periods if the public is neither engaged nor listened to?

CCAN has spoken with thousands of people along the route of the proposed pipeline project. Residents of the directly impacted community have been clear that they are fearful of the impact this will have on their health and wellness, or have not been engaged with whatsoever by TC Energy and Columbia Gas. These frontline community members are not being heard.” 

Thirteen public schools and one hospital are within 1.5 miles or less of the route, including Hillpoint Elementary in Suffolk, just 300 feet from the pipeline’s path — and well within its “blast zone.” The project would also cut through 4.2 miles of the Great Dismal Swamp, a key protected habitat home to some of the most important wildlife in the mid-Atlantic region.

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with climate change  in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Over 40 Maryland Groups Tell Governor Moore to “Get it Done by ‘31” for the Climate

Governor Moore with Maryland Flag
Take Action: Tell Governor Moore to make a strong climate action plan!

As Governor Moore finalizes the state plan to reduce climate pollution 60% by 2031, a broad array of organizations declare that “Commitments, promises, and unfunded recommendations, regardless of how bold they are, will simply not be enough”

Annapolis, MD — Before the end of December, the Moore Administration must put forward a comprehensive plan to meet Maryland’s climate goals. As the details of that plan are being finalized, more than 40 Maryland grassroots and business leaders signed a letter to the Governor urging him to include concrete investments with guaranteed funding mechanisms to reduce pollution at the speed required by law. 

The letter emphasizes the need to dedicate additional resources toward successfully cutting Maryland’s climate pollution 60% by 2031. “We will not meet our climate goals without investing more to reduce emissions,” said Jamie DeMarco, Maryland Director at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, “Maryland’s climate plan cannot be silent on revenue, that’s what this letter is communicating.” 

Governor Moore has shown tremendous leadership on climate issues, the letter makes clear. Already, under his leadership, Maryland has made historic investments in offshore wind, sped up the transition to electric vehicles, made community solar a permanent program, installed leaders committed to climate action in the state agencies and at the PSC, and much more. These actions have brought the promise of new union jobs to our state, eased the burden of air pollution, and helped low and moderate income Marylanders benefit from solar power. The state’s final climate plan should match the ambition of what Governor Moore has accomplished during his first year in office. 

But the new plan needs real funding. The letter to Moore says, “Maryland needs the plan and resources to meet our goal. We are asking you to issue a strong climate plan and to commit to a funding mechanism that provides significant resources in order to “get it done by ‘31.”” 

Signatories include:
Advance Maryland; Annapolis Green; Audubon Mid-Atlantic; Baltimore 350; CASA; Cedar Lane Environmental Justice Ministry; Center for Progressive Reform; Chesapeake Climate Action Network; Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility; Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association (CHESSA); Climate Communications Coalition; Climate Law & Policy Project; Climate Reality Greater Maryland; Earthjustice; Elders Climate Action Maryland; Elders for Climate Action; Environment Maryland; Friends of Sligo Creek; Green Sanctuary, Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring; GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic; Howard County Climate Action; Indivisible HoCoMD; Institute for Market Transformation; Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake; Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA); Maryland League of Conservation Voters; Maryland Legislative Coalition; Maryland Legislative Coalition; Climate Justice Wing; Maryland Ornithological Society; Maryland PIRG; Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund; Mobilize Frederick; Oceantic Network; Policy Foundation of Maryland; Rebuild Maryland Coalition; Safe Skies Maryland; Sierra Club Maryland Chapter; The Nature Conservancy, Maryland/DC Chapter; Towson Therapy Group; Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland; Waterkeepers Chesapeake.

Take Action: Tell Governor Moore to make a strong climate action plan!

 

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with climate change in the Chesapeake Bay region. For over 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and beyond.

CCAN Calls for Immediate Halt to Plan to Cut 1,200 Trees in Rock Creek Park

Mature trees are a vital part of regional ecosystem and climate resilience. CCAN joins other groups urging NPS to save the trees.


WASHINGTON, DC — Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) and other environmental activist groups are speaking out against the proposal to remove over 1,200 trees from Rock Creek Park as part of a new plan to rehabilitate Rock Creek Golf Course. The environmental assessment, from the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and National Links Trust (NLT), calls for the removal of 1,200-plus trees – amounting to the loss of approximately 8 acres in tree canopy – “to restore the course to its former glory.”

Mike Tidwell, executive director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated: 

“Rock Creek Park is a national treasure and an integral part of Washington, D.C.’s history, as well as a vital resource in our regional fight against climate change. If we want to preserve historic integrity and natural ecosystems, we should do everything we can to protect this park. There must be a way to fix the golf course’s problems without slashing eight acres of century-old trees.” 

Trees are one of our most potent resources  for combating climate change. Many of the trees in Rock Creek Park, sometimes called the “Lungs of DC,” are over 100 years old, each sequestering dozens of pounds of carbon each year. They also provide countless other benefits to people and wildlife, including helping to filter air and water, controlling stormwater, conserving energy, and providing wildlife habitat. 

The proposed NPS plan will eliminate swathes of forest cover, including significant portions of the densest forest patches in the site. Endangered Species like the Long Eared and Indiana Bats – whose populations have already been significantly harmed by the fungal white-nose syndrome – currently use these forests to roost and forage. Additionally, the Hay’s Spring Amphipod, which is only found in Rock Creek Park, shares habitat with the golf course and relies on forest cover for stormwater treatment. These species and others will lose valuable habitat they need to survive.

In 1927, when the proposed golf course design was conceived, the world had limited understanding of climate change and its devastating effects. Today, at a time when the District of Columbia has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, sacrificing a significant part of this treasured park area in order to spruce up an outdated golf course design is anachronistic and environmentally unsustainable. 

CCAN encourages citizens to act now and tell NPS to halt its plans to cut down over 1,200 trees in Rock Creek Park. National Park Service is accepting comments on this proposal until November 4, 2023 at 11:59 PM mountain time.

In addition to CCAN, other environmental groups are speaking out by calling for an extension to the comment period, including: Casey Trees, DC Environmental Network, DC Voters for Animals, Mighty Earth, Anacostia Parks & Community Collaborative, People’s Alliance for Rock Creek (PARC), Ward 8 Woods Conservancy, City Wildlife, Capitol Hill Energy Co-Op, Sierra Club DC Chapter, Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats, Sticky Fingers Diner, Capital Nature, Green Compass, LLC, Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA), Citizens’ Climate Lobby DC Chapter, Nature Forward (formerly known as Audubon Naturalist Society), Langdon Park Forest Stewards, Anacostia Riverkeeper, and Anacostia Watershed Society.

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with climate change  in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Broad Statewide Coalition Comments on Eliminating Maryland Climate Pollution

In responding to the Maryland Department of the Environment Climate Pathway Report, a broad coalition of environmental and justice organizations in Maryland have put forward comments in support of the state plan to combat inequities and meet the state’s ambitious pollution reduction mandates

Baltimore, MD — For the first time, a coalition of climate and justice advocates has put forward a comprehensive set of comments on actions to eliminate the state’s climate pollution. Climate Partners, the coalition that compiled the comments, praised Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for putting forward a comprehensive package of climate solutions in the form of the Maryland Climate Pathway Report released earlier this year.

“Governor Moore is less than a year into his first term in office, and already he is the first Governor of Maryland ever to propose a set of policies that would actually get Maryland to net-zero emissions,” said Kim Coble, Executive Director, Maryland LCV. “He deserves tremendous praise for that accomplishment, and we look forward to working with the Moore Administration to refine, pass, and implement these policies.”

In particular, advocates praised the Moore Administration’s plan to create air quality equipment standards that would, over time, eliminate air pollution from energy use in buildings. In September, a new report found that emissions from fossil fuel-powered furnaces and water heaters cause three times more air pollution than all of the state’s power plants combined. These findings underscore the importance of the air quality equipment standards proposed in MDE’s Pathway Report.

“Enacting Air Quality Equipment Standards, referred to as zero-emissions appliance standards in the report, is a critical step that the Moore Administration can take through executive action to address the climate crisis in Maryland,” said Jamie DeMarco, Maryland Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Governor Moore should waste no time in enacting this life-saving policy.”

MDE is currently turning the Pathway Report, meant to be one path to net zero, into official recommendations on behalf of the state. In submitting their comments today, Climate Partners are urging MDE to make improvements in the final recommendations. The powerful coalition communicated several changes, including that MDE recommend the end of all trash incineration in the state rather than listing trash incineration as a climate solution.

“Environmental justice and equity should be the framework for MDE’s recommendations,” said Robin Lewis, Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA)’s Director for Climate Equity. “Communities that are overburdened by the negative impacts of climate change should be in front of the line, not left behind, when implementing climate solutions as they have suffered enough.”

“Burning trash, biomass, and biogas emits more greenhouse gasses and more toxic compounds per unit of energy than coal. The inclusion of trash incineration as a climate solution in the Pathway Report is unacceptable,” said Staci Hartwell with the Maryland NAACP. “MDE must include the closure of all trash incinerators in their final recommendations for how to eliminate the state’s emissions.”

Advocates also urged stronger measures on vehicle miles traveled. Transportation is the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Governor Moore has shown tremendous leadership by speeding up the adoption of electric vehicles, but this transition will not happen quickly enough to achieve our legally mandated reduction of 60% by 2031. To do that, Maryland must find a way to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled. The Pathway Report actually results in an annual average VMT growth of 1% between 2020 and 2030.

“The Maryland Department of the Environment, in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Transportation, should develop a VMT reduction strategy that identifies and models policies, programs, and projects that will lead to a 20% per capita VMT reduction below 2019 levels by 2030,” said Lindsey Mendelson, Transportation Representative for the Maryland Sierra Club. “The VMT reduction strategy should include projects related to public transit, transit-oriented development, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and transportation demand management.”

The climate pathway report, required by the Climate Solutions Now Act, charts a course to net-zero emissions for the state and is largely aligned with the direction expressed by Climate Partners. As MDE creates their final recommendations for how the state should meet its ambitious pollution reduction mandates they should adopt the changes recommended by Climate Partners.

 

 

     

      • Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689

      • CASA

      • Cedar Lane Environmental Justice Ministry Unitarian Universalist Congregation

      • Center for Progressive Reform

      • Central Maryland Transportation Alliance

      • Chesapeake Climate Action Network

      • Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility

      • Climate Communications Coalition

      • Climate Law & Policy Project

      • Climate Reality Greater Maryland

      • Climate XChange Maryland

      • Earthjustice

      • Echotopia LLC

      • Elders Climate Action Maryland

      • Fix Maryland Rail

      • Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

      • Howard County Climate Action

      • Indivisible Howard County

      • Institute for Market Transformation

      • Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA)

      • League of Women Voters of Maryland

      • Maryland League of Conservation Voters

      • Maryland Legislative Coalition

      • MLC Climate Justice Wing

      • NAACP Maryland State Conference, Environmental and Climate Justice Committee

      • National Housing Trust

      • One Montgomery Green

      • Policy Foundation of Maryland

      • Progressive Maryland

      • Safe Healthy Playing Fields Inc.

      • Sierra Club Maryland Chapter

      • The Climate Mobilization Montgomery County Chapter TCM MoCo

      • Transform Maryland Transportation Coalition

      • Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland

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    CCAN In Solidarity with UAW for Good Jobs, Union Rights, and Auto Industry’s Clean Energy Revolution

    Washington, DC — Over the past decade, Ford, GM, and Stellantis-Chrysler have raked in a staggering quarter-trillion dollars in North America profits, yet members of The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) never received their fair share. As the Big Three invest in the essential shift towards electrification in the automotive industry, including Electric Vehicles (EVs), the UAW stands firm in asserting that the transition to a clean energy future presents a monumental opportunity to elevate autoworker standards rather than diminishing them. 

    Statement from Quentin Scott, Federal Policy Director:

    “At CCAN, we champion a just transition to a clean energy future. Insufficient wages, job insecurity, and substandard working conditions have left both workers and their communities behind. As we move away from fossil fuels, there is a golden opportunity for American workers and their families to thrive through the electrification of the automotive and transportation sector, a vital component of the green energy revolution. Our unwavering commitment to supporting workers and communities fuels our solidarity with the UAW and all those at the forefront of the climate crisis and this imperative transition.”

    Contact:
    Quentin Scott, 310-465-6943, quentin@chesapeakeclimate.org
    KC Chartrand, 240-620-7144, kc@chessapeakeclimate.org

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    Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

    CCAN Joins Immigration, Faith, and Labor Groups at White House Rally Demanding Protected Status for More Climate Migrants

    Washington, DC — In a powerful demonstration at the White House today, CCAN and allied immigration, faith, and labor organizations came together to urgently demand that the Biden Administration extend and expand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants from climate change-affected countries. Protestors called for current temporary protections granted to immigrants from El Salvador, Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua to be made permanent. And, while TPS was recently extended for hundreds of thousands of people, the protesters spotlighted the fact that migrants from Guatemala, Pakistan, and other countries facing severe climate change impacts still lack TPS designation or re-designation.

    Statement from Ernesto Villasenor, Jr., CCAN Federal Campaign Coordinator:

    “For decades, scientists have been sounding the alarm on human-induced climate change. And now the grim reality is that climate change-induced catastrophes are upon us, wreaking havoc on El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Guatemala – countries that are already grappling with food insecurity, political turmoil, and rising violence.

    For five years, TPS holders from these crisis-ridden countries endured perpetual uncertainty with only short-term extensions from the US Department of Homeland Security. The recent TPS extension, though helpful, missed a crucial opportunity to demonstrate real leadership for climate migrants. It overlooked countries like Guatemala, Pakistan, and others hit by climate disasters, leaving them out of TPS. We’re at the White House to say, ‘Enough is enough! Families belong together, protected, and safe.” 

    Climate change migration isn’t just about future coastal cities; it’s a current crisis. Thousands of Pakistanis, displaced by devastating floods, illustrate this fact. Despite a third of their country being submerged and nearly half a million people losing homes, they did not receive TPS. This highlights the urgent need to address climate-induced displacement now.

    TPS fundamentally recognizes the imperative of providing immediate assistance and sanctuary to individuals who are unable to return safely to their countries of origin. It acknowledges that the dire circumstances they face are beyond their control and often require a temporary respite to rebuild their lives. Temporary Protected Status embodies the United States’ commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of the global community and providing them with a lifeline during times of great distress.

    By excluding these individuals, the Biden administration exposes them to the same crises that TPS recipients are shielded from, which is illogical. This missed opportunity highlights a lack of true leadership and courage. The pursuit for #TPSJustice persists, and President Biden can still take action by re-designating today.

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    Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org

    Activists Across Virginia Rally Against Gov. Youngkin’s Repeal of Popular RGGI Program

    In four rallies, activists deliver suppressed public comments previously submitted to Virginia DEQ in support of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

     

    RICHMOND, VA: Yesterday, scores of activists across Virginia rallied against Governor Glenn Youngkin’s plan to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). In Richmond, Norfolk, Woodbridge, and Blacksburg, crowds of concerned Virginians spoke up for the popular and highly beneficial program, which has already generated more than $624 million for flood resilience and energy efficiency programs across the Commonwealth.[1]

    Analysis from the Southern Environmental Law Center shows that 88% of Virginians who submitted public comments expressed support for RGGI. But when Youngkin’s government reviewed those public comments, they ignored a vast majority of the pro-RGGI comments, classifying them as “off-topic.” 

    NORTHERN VIRGINIA

    In Woodbridge, more than 30 activists broadcast audio of the Youngkin administration calling pro-RGGI comments “off-topic,” then delivered suppressed comments to the regional Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) office. They also displayed them on signs for the public to see, and read them aloud, before singing together: “The tide is rising and so are we.”

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    Victoria Higgins, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated: “The simple truth is that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has been overwhelmingly successful in reducing air pollution in Virginia and regionally; it has continuously overperformed by creating hundreds of millions of dollars every year for essential programs that deliver results to Virginians who need them most; and it is an indispensable tool in our fight against climate change. RGGI just works – it works to protect our coasts and low-lying areas from flooding, to keep Virginians in their homes, and to drive down energy bills for low-income Virginians. Without RGGI, Governor Youngkin has no plan to deliver these life-saving programs to Virginians. We will fight back against his illegitimate, anti-democratic, anti-scientific agenda at every chance we get.”

    Jordan Seurattan, Northern Virginia Organizer with the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, stated: “The people have spoken time and again, but Governor Youngkin won’t listen. Governor Youngkin believes he can gaslight us into believing that RGGI is harmful for Virginia, when in reality it’s his policies that are hurting our communities. When people in power use their position to put polluters first, it’s up to us to hold them accountable. That’s why we are here today. To tell Youngkin that he’s not fooling us, and Virginian’s deserve better.” 

     

     

     

    RICHMOND

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    Meanwhile, in Richmond, steps away from the Governor’s Mansion, Mayor Levar Stoney and City Council Member Katherine Jordan joined the call for Youngkin to stop his unlawful efforts to kneecap Virginia’s biggest climate adaptation program.

     

    Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney related a personal experience: “Folks who are living hand-to-mouth, who are living paycheck to paycheck…these funds are going to help with upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient, let it help them cool or heat their homes. People like my grandmother are living paycheck to paycheck on a fixed income. It’s hard to afford a day’s living on a fixed income. These dollars would help people like my grandmother, grandmothers all across not just the city of Richmond but the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

     

     

    Photo by Jen Lawhorne, Appalachian Voices

    NORFOLK

    Down in Norfolk, community members were joined by Norfolk City Councilwoman Andria McClellan to rally virtually in the face of thunderstorms and discuss the benefits of RGGI in Norfolk, where the RGGI-backed Community Flood Preparedness Fund has funded a flood protection system.view?usp=sharing

     

    Norfolk City Councilwoman Andria McClellan stated: “RGGI is a drop in the bucket and if we can’t save this, how are we going to find funding for everything we need to do?”view

    Mary-Carson Stiff, Director of Wetlands Watch, stated: “This is the only source of grant funding for flood preparedness and climate adaptation in Virginia. It’s it. The proceeds are consistent and reliable, which our communities need so they can plan to apply and then continue applying for years to come.” 

    BLACKSBURG 

    And in Blacksburg, 15 protesters gathered bearing colorful signs and t-shirts to make their voices loud and clear and spread the word about support for RGGI.

    view?usp=sharingPhoto from Chesapeake Climate Action Network

    The New River Valley Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America stated: “Governor Youngkin’s decision to remove Virginia from the RGGI will have lasting consequences for southwest Virginians and the mountains they love. We needed to organize this rally to make sure Virginia voters understand what we stand to lose without action on climate.”

     

    The four rallies were organized by Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Appalachian Voices, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club – Falls of the James Chapter, Third Act Virginia, and Virginia League of Conservation Voters.

    Broad Coalition Urges Biden Administration to Expand Offshore Wind Maps

    Coalition states: “We are proposing a win-win solution that would nearly double the acreage available for offshore wind”


    ANNAPOLIS, MD—    Today, a coalition of unions, developers, justice organizations, and climate organizations sent a joint public letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) urging the agency to expand the areas designated for offshore wind in the Central Atlantic.

    BOEM is in the process of finalizing new maps for offshore wind development in the region, and has proposed new leasing areas that are too small to meet the region’s offshore wind mandates. A coalition of advocates have proposed an alternative map that would nearly double the new leasing area for offshore wind while meeting the needs of all other ocean users.

    The letter includes, in part:

    “BOEM estimates that, as currently proposed, the new Central Atlantic lease areas would accommodate between 4 and 8 gigawatts of offshore wind. Even taking the upper estimate of this range, the lease areas cannot accommodate the offshore wind needed in this region. Virginia is required by law to build 5.2 gigawatts of offshore wind. North Carolina must build 8 gigawatts of offshore wind, and Maryland just passed a law to build 8.5 gigawatts. Some of that energy can come from existing lease areas, but to meet those targets set in law, those three states need more than 11 gigawatts of offshore wind in the new lease areas. On top of that, Delaware is also reliant on the Central Atlantic for its offshore wind energy, and while it is not currently building any, it is expected to pass its first offshore wind legislation in 2024.

    Offshore wind is vital to our future. It holds the promise of affordable, clean energy that creates hundreds of good union jobs and reduces air pollution. Limiting offshore wind comes with costs. It means fewer jobs, worse pollution, and a less affordable and reliable transition to a clean energy economy. While there are other ocean users whose needs must be accommodated, we are proposing a win-win solution that would nearly double the acreage available for offshore wind in the Central Atlantic while not reducing the width or number of Coast Guards fairways and while not encroaching on ocean space conflicted with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). We hope BOEM will expand the space available for offshore wind in the Central Atlantic by adopting the map [provided].”

    Click HERE to read the letter in full.

    Coalition signers include: Advanced Energy United ● Audubon Mid-Atlantic ● Baltimore-DC Metro Building and Construction Trades Council ● Business Network for Offshore Wind ● CASA ● Chesapeake Climate Action Network ● Climate Law & Policy Project ● Climate Reality Greater Maryland ● Elders Climate Action Maryland ● Environmental Justice Ministry Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church ● IBEW Local Union 24 ● Indivisible Howard County ● Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake ● Ironworkers Mid-Atlantic States District Council ● MAREC Action ● Maryland LCV ● Maryland Legislative Coalition ● MLC Climate Justice Wing ● NAACP Maryland State Conference, Environmental and Climate Justice Committee ● Strum Contracting Company Inc. ● Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry ● United Steelworkers District 8

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    The Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with climate change  in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

    Federal court stays Mountain Valley Pipeline’s biological opinion again

    Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit issued a stay of the biological opinion and incidental take statement under the Endangered Species Act for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The court’s order staying these authorizations means that construction should not move forward along any portion of the 304-mile pipeline route. The federal appeals court has already twice rejected the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s prior authorizations for the pipeline project, finding that the agency failed to adequately analyze the project’s environmental context when assessing the detrimental impacts to the Roanoke logperch and the candy darter, a species on the brink of extinction.

    Yesterday, the federal court also granted a stay of the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to allow the pipeline to be constructed through the Jefferson National Forest while the court considers The Wilderness Society’s challenge to that decision. The Wilderness Society is represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center.

    The motion to stay the biological opinion was filed by lawyers from the Sierra Club, Appalachian Mountain Advocates and Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of Appalachian Voices, Wild Virginia, Indian Creek Watershed Association, Preserve Bent Mountain, Preserve Giles County, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity. Mountain Valley Pipeline and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service argued to the court that it lacked jurisdiction to issue the stay under provisions inserted into the Fiscal Responsibility Act about the pipeline. In issuing the stay, the 4th Circuit appears to have rejected that argument.

    The following are statements from the petitioners:

    Statement by Virginia Policy Director Peter Anderson of Appalachian Voices:
    “This stay is necessary to prevent the irreparable harm that would be caused by allowing Mountain Valley Pipeline to resume construction while important legal issues are decided. We are pleased that the 4th Circuit seems to recognize that Congress overreached with its Mountain Valley Pipeline provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act.”

    Statement by Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous:
    “Congress’s unprecedented end run around the courts attempted to forgo proper checks and balances and declare the sinking ship that is the MVP a winner. This, as we know, was wrong from the start. Congress cannot mandate that federal regulators throw caution to the wind — environmental laws are more than just mere suggestions, and must be adhered to. We expect MVP to halt all construction along the entire route.”

    Statement of Anne Havemann, General Counsel, Chesapeake Climate Action Network:
    “This ill-conceived pipeline poses serious threats to animals, plants, and people. This is the third time this court has found fatal flaws in Mountain Valley’s Endangered Species Act permit. Regulators that are supposed to protect the environment have once again failed and construction should be halted along the entire route.”

    Statement of David Sligh, Wild Virginia’s Conservation Director:
    “All we’ve ever asked is that our basic environmental protection laws, including the Endangered Species Act, be enforced. Federal officials have not yet lived up to that basic requirement on this project and the courts have had to step in. Construction on this harmful project must be ended now. ”

    Statement of Jared Margolis, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity:
    “This decision shows that corporations with deep pockets and political influence aren’t above the law. The court stepped up to protect imperiled wildlife and sensitive streams from a disastrous project that should never be built.”

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    Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeclimate.org