Maryland Grid Can Easily Accommodate Electrification of Building and Transportation Sectors, State Study Concludes

Prominent Climate Groups Praise Study Findings, Optimistic About Electrification

Baltimore, MD — A report commissioned by the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) shows that Maryland’s grid is equipped to accommodate high electrification of vehicles and buildings, especially if coupled with achievable gains in energy efficiency and load flexibility.

“The results from this study deliver good news to Marylanders,” said Chris Stix, a volunteer with Sierra Club who participated in the study. “We can achieve Maryland’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% without overloading the electric grid by widely deploying heat pumps. For space and hot water heating, the use of heat pumps is much more efficient than existing electric and fossil fuel appliances. As a result, they contribute only modestly to peak electric loads.”

The study shows that electrification of buildings and vehicles will result in very limited additional load growth relative to what the utilities are already planning in their own growth forecasts over the next ten years. In the high electrification scenario that assumes best-in-class technology (such as highly efficient cold-climate heat pumps), the Maryland system would see 1.1% annual load growth. This load growth could be even further reduced to 0.3% with ambitious but achievable energy efficiency and load flexibility measures.

“All Marylanders deserve a healthy and safe place to live. This study shows that not only can we upgrade homes across the state with clean, highly efficient equipment that will slash pollution and improve public health, but we already have the grid capacity to make those updates,” said Ruth Ann Norton, President & CEO of the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative. “Our state leaders in the General Assembly and Governor Moore must now pursue policies that will equitably deliver healthy, pollution-free homes.”

The expected load growth is comparable to or less than the Maryland system has seen year-by-year over the past 40 years. Historically, the system experienced significant load growth in the 1980s of 4.9% per year and more moderate growth of 1.2-1.5% from 1990-2010. Load declined between 2010-2020.

One reason for the limited impact of electrification is that there is existing headroom available on the grid to handle winter and summer peaks in demand. Heat pumps are also far more efficient than fossil-fuel-powered equipment. They provide both heating and cooling and are two to four times more efficient than gas furnaces and use 29% less electricity than the best-performing central air conditioning units.

In 2022, as part of the Climate Solutions Now Act, the Maryland General Assembly considered whether to require electric heating and cooling equipment in all newly constructed buildings in the state. Concerned about the impacts that new construction would have on the grid, legislators directed the PSC to create the Electrification Study Working Group (ESWG) to study the issue.

“This study completely puts to rest the question of whether the grid can handle electrification of new construction,” said Anne Havemann, Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who also participated in the ESWG.

The PSC commissioned the Brattle Group to model five scenarios, two of which meet the state’s goal of 60% GHG reduction from 2006 levels by 2031. The first, 3A, employs a high level of cold-climate heat pumps, with 90% of space heating sales in buildings being heat pumps by 2030.  The second, 3B, employs a high level of conventional heat pumps by 2030. Water heater sales are assumed to be 90% heat pumps by 2027. For electric vehicles, all scenarios achieve Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) and Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulations.

The assumptions used in Brattle’s study were carefully considered by the Electrification Study Work Group and all stakeholders, including the utilities, had the extensive ability to comment on them. As a starting point, Brattle used each electric utility’s 10-year plan. The starting level of heat pump deployment is based on a 2022 survey commissioned by the PSC.

“Maryland is on the cusp of an exciting transition to a 21st-century energy future,” Havemann added. “To manage this transition equitably and responsibly, Maryland must commit to policies such as zero-emissions equipment standards that can accelerate the adoption of highly efficient technologies such as heat pumps and modernizing its grid to ensure all residents reap the health and economic benefits of pollution-free homes. Targeted incentives and new regulations that prioritize equity must be implemented now to achieve the transition to a highly electrified future in a way that doesn’t leave Marylanders behind. This future is achievable and manageable and we encourage the state to commit now.”

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Governor Moore Calls for Spending $1 Billion a Year to Fight Climate Change

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

Leading regional climate group praises Moore Administration’s unprecedented comprehensive plan to meet the state’s ambitious climate pollution reduction mandate of 60% by 2031, calls on him to lay out how to raise the funds


Baltimore, MD — Maryland Governor Wes Moore recently released the state’s final plan for reducing heat trapping pollution in line with state law. The plan includes specific recommendations for every sector of the economy which, if fully implemented, would reduce climate pollution 60% by 2031 and keep the state on track to eliminate net emissions by 2045.

“Governor Moore has done what no Maryland Governor has done before: put forward a plan to invest $1 billion a year in the clean energy economy to eliminate our net climate pollution,” said Jamie DeMarco, Maryland Director at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Fully implementing the investments and standards recommended in this report will lower energy bills, create good jobs, improve health outcomes, and achieve our pollution reduction mandates.” 

Governor Moore proposes funding the new investment through a combination of green revenue bonds, a cap and invest program, a carbon fee, a hazardous substances fee, a clean air toll, and a pollution fee on fuel burning-vehicles. These investments will pay for themselves many times over. The report says that, if fully implemented, this plan “will generate up to $1.2 billion in public health benefits, $2.5 billion in increased personal income, and a net gain of 27,400 jobs between now and 2031 as compared with current policies. Average households will save up to $4,000 annually on energy costs. Air quality and public health outcomes will improve for everyone, especially people living in historically underserved and overburdened communities.”

While the plan lays out potential options for raising the necessary revenue, it falls short of fully embracing a specific plan to generate the needed $1 billion. “It is Governor Moore’s responsibility to lead on the question of revenue raising, and not punt the hard choices to the legislature,” DeMarco added. “We also expect that the Governor will incorporate equity into every part of the state’s decarbonization process.” 

In addition to calling for necessary investments, the plan also lays out the standards and policies needed. It calls for a Zero-Emission Heating Equipment Standard, a 20% reduction in Vehicle Miles Traveled, eliminating trash incineration from the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, 100% clean energy by 2035, and more. Each of these policies represents a tremendous victory for Maryland’s climate and communities. Taken together, they form the first ever comprehensive plan that, if fully funded, will reduce climate pollution at the necessary speed. 

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

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

 

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.

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.

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 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.

Biden Administration issues woefully insufficient offshore wind lease areas for the Central Atlantic

On July 31, the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) failed to live up to President Joe Biden’s promise of an all-of-government approach to tackling the climate crisis. The offshore wind lease areas for the Central Atlantic that BOEM issued are woefully insufficient. Combined, the new lease areas total only 356,550 acres, which is not enough space for the region to meet its offshore wind energy goals.  

Offshore wind has the promise to bring good union jobs to our region, lower energy prices, and slash pollution, but the maps BOEM released today will limit the benefit wind will be able to bring to the Central Atlantic. At a time when heat waves are costing the US billions of dollars, President Biden should be clearing the way for as much affordable, clean energy as possible. We urge President Biden to direct BOEM to open up more federal waters for offshore wind development and to ensure that the B-1 lease area is not shrunk any further. We also urge BOEM to open up a new Central Atlantic leasing process for additional shallow and deep water areas within one year.  

CCAN Calls Out Biden Administration’s Missed Opportunity for Climate Change Migrants

CCAN Calls Out Biden Administration’s Missed Opportunity for Climate Change Migrants

Washington, DC –  Last week, the Biden Administration did the bare minimum for climate change-affected migrant families, announcing the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Today, as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals holds a final hearing on Ramos v. Mayorkas, countless families affected by natural disasters fueled by climate change will remain in the shadows without legal protections from deportation. 

Statement from Quentin Scott, Federal Director for CCAN: 

“While the Biden Administration’s decision allows hundreds of thousands of TPS holders to breathe a sigh of relief, CCAN is disappointed in the Administration for not re-designating El Salvador, Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and excluding Guatemala, Pakistan, and other countries affected by climate change-impacted natural disasters. By linking climate change to Temporary Protected Status, we acknowledge the interdependence of environmental challenges and the humanitarian assistance required for affected communities. 

More than 15,000 CCAN supporters and other concerned residents nationwide stood up in support of protecting climate change migrants. The Administration passed up a moment to show real leadership and courage for climate change migrants –and now the fight for #TPSJustice and comprehensive immigration reform continues. TPS provides essential protection and support to climate change migrants, enabling them to rebuild their lives and contribute to their new communities.”
Quentin Scott
Federal Director, CCAN

Climate change migration is commonly associated with the future submergence of coastal cities; however, the truth is, people are already being forced to abandon their homes due to climate change. Thousands of Pakistani migrants displaced by recent deadly floods, which have left a third of the country underwater and nearly half a million people displaced, did not receive a TPS designation. 

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) provides vital protection for climate change migrants, granting them temporary legal status while residing in the U.S. However, the recent decision only benefits 337,000 climate migrant families who arrived by 2018, disregarding those who fled more recent climate disasters. 

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 redesignating 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