CCAN Responds to Latest Scandal in Mayor Bowser’s Exelon-Pepco Deal

WAMU reports Exelon hired FreshPAC chairman to lobby Mayor’s office days before ‘settlement’ was reached

See the article here: http://wamu.org/news/15/12/16/exelon_paid_freshpac_chair_to_lobby_DC_government_about_merger
Statement in response from Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“I have never seen such a blatant appearance of political corruption in my entire career as a consumer and environmental advocate. The ‘P’ in FreshPAC stands for political. Exelon brazenly hired the chairman of the Mayor’s own political action committee to pressure the Mayor to knuckle under to a bad deal for consumers and the environment. This is absolutely outrageous. This is all about corrupt politics and consumer rip-off.
“This comes after the ‘soccergate’ scandal in September, when Pepco gave $25 million to the Mayor for vague naming rights related to her soccer stadium deal. This comes after Pepco and Exelon still refuse to confirm or deny whether the Mayor’s super PAC asked them to make direct political donations. It comes after the Mayor’s office pressured the federal General Services Administration to drop its opposition to the settlement. Now this.
“How shocking does this bad-government process have to become before the Mayor gains some pride and withdraws from this fraudulent ‘settlement’?”

More on the “Soccergate” scandal: http://www.powerdc.org/soccergate.html
More on the Mayor’s bad settlement deal: http://www.powerdc.org/settlement-facts.html
Contact:
Mike Tidwell, CCAN director, 240-460-5838
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

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Bipartisan Virginia Leaders Push for Major 2016 Bill to Combat Flooding, Fund Climate Solutions

Innovative approach would help cities adapt and promote clean energy while reducing carbon pollution; action builds on current climate talks in Paris

NORFOLK—A bipartisan group of Virginia leaders gathered in Norfolk today to push for passage of comprehensive state legislation in the 2016 General Assembly to combat the local impacts of flooding and promote clean energy solutions. They highlighted the need for local action on climate change even as world leaders meet in Paris to bolster global commitments.
The bill, called the Virginia Coastal Protection Act, would generate about $250 million per year to invest in flood-protection measures, as well as energy efficiency, clean energy and job training programs. It would do so by adding Virginia to a regional market-based system that caps and reduces carbon pollution.
In recent months, city governments across the state—including Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Fredericksburg, and Staunton—and the Virginia Municipal League have endorsed the bill as a 2016 priority.
Republican State Delegate Ron Villanueva of Virginia Beach joined coastal city officials and the former commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk for a waterside press conference this morning to announce introduction of the bill into the 2016 General Assembly with Democratic Senator Donald McEachin of Richmond.
“The Virginia Coastal Protection Act is the best path forward to protect flood-prone communities while combating climate change and growing our economy,” said Delegate Villanueva. “With so many homes, businesses, and military assets at risk from rising seas, the urgent need for action is clear. This bill unlocks hundreds of millions of dollars to kick-start practical solutions.”
“This year, I will be re-introducing legislation that will reduce carbon emissions while helping localities to combat flooding and impacts from sea level rise,” said Senator McEachin.
Some activists wore bright yellow rain boots to dramatize the struggle many coastal citizens already face in getting to work or school amidst high tides or heavy storms. Experts say the city of Norfolk alone needs $1 billion to adapt to encroaching waters. Severe weather events—such as heavy rainfall that washed out roadways in Southwest Virginia in late September—are causing increasingly costly damage across Virginia.
“It’s time to create the state’s first dedicated funding source to help localities along the coast and beyond deal with the impacts of climate change,” said Virginia Beach City Councilmember Rosemary Wilson, past president of the Virginia Municipal League and a current member of VML’s Legislative Committee. “This is a win-win policy with the support of cities across Virginia.”
The benefits of the bipartisan climate bill would extend far beyond flood protection. Under the legislation, Virginia would join a system called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) that has a track record of lowering greenhouse gas emissions while lowering utility bills in nine states from Maine to Maryland. Virginia would be poised to meet its requirements under the federal Clean Power Plan while gaining new revenue—about $250 million per year through 2030—to support climate resilience and economic development.
The Virginia Coastal Protection Act would direct a full half of the funds generated to help localities throughout the state combat flooding caused by sea-level rise and severe weather. The second-largest portion of funds would support energy efficiency programs that save consumers money. Additional funds would promote solar power and support jobs programs for families and businesses in Southwest Virginia.
Retired Navy Captain Joe Bouchard joined today’s press conference to urge the General Assembly to act on this comprehensive climate plan for another reason: national security.
“Virginia’s response to climate change impacts the readiness of the world’s largest Naval base,” said Bouchard, who is a former commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk. “The Navy could spend hundreds of millions of dollars protecting the base from sea level rise; but it cannot function if the cities around it are crippled by rising waters.”
“Adapting to the impacts here now must go hand in hand with transitioning to clean energy solutions,” added Bouchard. “That is the Defense Department’s strategy, and it is the right strategy for Virginia, too.”
The Virginia Coastal Protection Act has gained a broad array of support since its original introduction in the 2015 General Assembly. The Virginia Housing Coalition, the Virginia Chapter of the American Association of Pediatrics, Virginia Organizing, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and all of Virginia’s statewide environmental groups have called for its passage. The editorial boards of the Virginian-Pilot, the Washington Post, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch have all penned pieces in support of its regional carbon-cutting approach.
“From Paris to Richmond, the actions we take now will determine how high the water goes and whether our communities are able to stay safe,” said Dawone Robinson, Virginia policy director at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “In 2016, the General Assembly and Governor McAuliffe must take action. Virginia can do our part to lower emissions, in a way that saves consumers money, creates new jobs, and brings real resources to communities facing dangerous flooding now.”
A fact sheet on the Virginia Coastal Protection Act is available at: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2016-CCAN-VA-Coastal-Protection-Act-Factsheet.pdf
An overview of the benefits of Virginia joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is available at: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/VA-RGGI-Fact-Sheet-UPDATED-8.10.15.pdf
Contact:
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
Dawone Robinson, 804-767-0372, dawone@chesapeakeclimate.org

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In Spirit of Paris, Top Maryland Lawmakers Propose Largest Clean Energy Jobs Plan in State History

2016 bill will expand wind and solar while creating good-paying jobs and a diverse clean energy workforce

ANNAPOLIS—As world leaders meet in Paris to marshal global climate action, top Maryland lawmakers came together in Annapolis today to unveil their plan to create the largest dedicated clean energy jobs and business development program in state history.
As part of 2016 legislation to significantly expand Maryland’s use of renewable electricity, Senate Majority Leader Catherine Pugh (D-Baltimore) and Delegate Dereck Davis (D-Prince George’s) are proposing a $40 million plan to train and prepare more Marylanders for careers in clean energy and to bolster minority- and women-owned businesses within the clean energy economy.
The lawmakers announced the plan, called the 2016 “Clean Jobs Act,” during a press conference on Lawyers’ Mall alongside Senator Rich Madaleno, Maryland small business, community college, and job training leaders, and climate advocates.
“Maryland needs to increase our renewable energy standard to 25 percent while putting in place funding to increase the diversity of business owners and workers,” said Sen. Pugh, who sits on the Senate Finance Committee. “The Clean Jobs Act will give more Marylanders the opportunity to thrive in the growing clean technology sector and put cities like Baltimore on the forefront of clean energy development.”
“2016 is the year to pass this ‘Clean Jobs Act’ for Maryland,” said Del. Davis, chair of the House Economic Matters Committee. “This bill will sustain an estimated 2,000 additional clean energy jobs right here in Maryland. The average Maryland solar installer earns nearly $23 per hour. Greater workforce development investments can direct those jobs where they’re needed most, while unlocking the full talent of our state’s clean energy entrepreneurs.”
Senator Brian Feldman and Delegate Bill Frick of Montgomery County are lead sponsors of the legislation to expand Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Sen. Pugh and Del. Davis will join Senator Mac Middleton, chair of the Finance Committee, and Senator Rich Madaleno, vice-chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee, as co-sponsors of the bill in 2016.
“I’m proud to sponsor this legislation because addressing climate change and improving our economy go hand in hand,” said Sen. Brian Feldman. “It’s time to lock in Maryland as a leader in both.”
The legislation would ensure that Maryland gets 25 percent of its electricity from clean sources like wind and solar power by 2020, up from the state’s current goal of 20 percent by 2022. By creating incentives for roughly 1,300 megawatts of new clean energy, the bill would significantly improve Marylanders’ air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing rising sea levels, record storms, and increased flooding.
“Maryland’s solar industry now employs over 3,000 workers, and the industry expects to grow 26 percent this year, adding 750 more jobs,” said Del. Frick. “In 2016, it’s time to speed up this growth while providing better training to more Maryland workers.”
“Climate change solutions—like cleaner, more efficient energy—mean healthy air and healthy people who can go to work and support their families,” said Sen. Madaleno. “All Marylanders deserve clean air to live healthier and more meaningful lives.”
Maryland has met its existing renewable energy standard every year since the RPS program was first implemented in 2005. Maryland now ranks among the top solar states in the nation. Plummeting solar and wind prices and abundant, untapped renewable assets — from sunny rooftops to blustery Eastern Shore farmland — position the state to easily achieve a higher goal. Collectively, Maryland’s policies to address climate change are expected to create 26,000 to 33,000 new jobs and grow wages by tens of billions of dollars by 2020, according to state data.
The new workforce development plan within the RPS bill would tap $40 million of unallocated contributions to Maryland’s Strategic Energy Investment Fund. Part of the funding would provide pre-apprenticeship job training in the clean energy sector targeted to areas of the state with high unemployment. Bolstering existing job training programs at Maryland community colleges is one example of how the funds could be put to work.
Gregory Mason, Vice President of Business and Continuing Education at Baltimore City Community College, also spoke at today’s press conference: “Not only is more renewable energy critical to preserving our natural resources, but it also offers a foot in the door for our students to begin and advance careers within a well-paid, burgeoning industry.”
Additional funding would establish a Clean Energy Business Development Fund to help minority- and women-owned businesses enter and grow within the clean energy economy in Maryland.
“We started our business in Maryland in part because of its commitment to expanding clean energy technologies,” said Daniel Wallace, director of Technical Sales for BITHENERGY. “The Clean Jobs Act will significantly enhance the economic imperatives that are necessary for clean energy companies like ours to thrive and to create jobs.”
Today’s announcement adds to growing momentum for climate action in Maryland. Over the past year, legislation to expand Maryland’s RPS law gained support from a broad base of faith, labor, health, social justice, and environmental constituencies — including the NAACP, Maryland Working Families, SEIU, seven Maryland bishops and top ecumenical leaders. Meanwhile, in late October, the state’s bipartisan Climate Change Commission voted unanimously in support of extending and strengthening Maryland’s statutory goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“While world leaders gather in Paris at the biggest global climate summit of this decade, Maryland leaders are stepping up to put concrete solutions into motion,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and member of the Maryland Climate Coalition. “Our clean electricity standard is our state’s top program for reducing climate pollution. By increasing it, we can build a more just and sustainable economy while doing our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
A memo on the proposed $40 million workforce development plan is available at: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Maryland-Clean-Jobs-Plan-Workforce-and-MBE-Memo.pdf
A fact sheet on the benefits of expanding Maryland’s renewable energy standard is available at: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/MCC_Forward-with-Clean-Energy_25percent_120715.pdf
Photos from today’s press conference are available for use at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chesapeakeclimate/albums/72157661471776619

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Contact:
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022 (office), kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
James McGarry, 914-563-2256 (cell), james@chesapeakeclimate.org

More than 70 Groups Call for a Permanent Ban on Fracking in Maryland

Baltimore, MD—Today, 72 groups, compelled by the mounting evidence of fracking’s negative effects, announced their call for a permanent, statewide ban on fracking in Maryland to protect public health, our air, water, climate and local business interests.
The organizations include a range of environmental, health, faith, labor and business groups including Food & Water Watch, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – Maryland/DC Division, National Nurses United, Waterkeepers Chesapeake, Interfaith Power & Light, Breast Cancer Action, The Harvest Collective, and the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Council.
A full list of groups and their call for a fracking ban can be found here: http://www.dontfrackmd.org/who-we-are
“It is impossible to ignore the mounting evidence showing that fracking poses severe health threats,” said Thomas Meyer, Maryland Organizer at Food & Water Watch. “On top of that, fracking could destroy Maryland’s growing sustainable economy; everything from tourism and recreation to farms and restaurants could be devastated by fracking. A two year moratorium is a good start, but in order to truly protect Maryland’s residents and economy, a complete ban is necessary.”
“Introducing industrial-scale gas development and fracking into the mountains of western Maryland is completely incompatible with what is primarily a tourism-based economy,” said Allegany County resident Dale Sams. “Fracking requires huge volumes of water, which will have to be extracted from our rivers and streams; and our narrow country roads and small bridges will be damaged by the thousands of heavy trucks used to haul drilling equipment and toxic waste. The only way to protect western Maryland from these impacts is to ban fracking.”
As a result of a broad-based, grassroots campaign, the Maryland General Assembly passed a two-year moratorium on fracking in 2015. The law went into effect last month and will prevent any drilling activity through October 2017. The same legislation, however, requires the Hogan administration to prepare regulations for drilling. Those regulations would go into effect as soon as the moratorium expires, unless the state takes further action.
A growing body of peer-reviewed evidence finds that fracking simply cannot be done without risk to public health and the environment—and that regulations are not capable of preventing harm. A recent overview of more than 500 peer-reviewed studies by Concerned Health Professionals of New York and Physicians for Social Responsibility points to “a plethora of … harms that cannot be averted or cannot be sufficiently averted through regulatory frameworks.”
“Study after study shows that fracking quickens the march toward climate disaster,” said Shilpa Joshi, Maryland Campaign Coordinator for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “If we’re going to keep our coastal cities above water and keep our farms from drying out, then we must start keeping fossil fuels, including gas, in the ground. Maryland can lead the way by banning fracking permanently and focusing 100% on clean energy solutions that protect our health and climate while creating good-paying jobs. ”
“Marylanders’ livelihoods and health depend on pure water, healthy soil, and clean air and would be forever damaged if hydraulic fracturing is allowed in Western Maryland,” said Waterkeepers Chesapeake Executive Director Betsy Nicholas. “There are already too many instances of how this highly industrial, polluting process of fracking has had dramatic and irreversible negative impacts on local water resources in states like Pennsylvania and West Virginia.”
Concerns over the long-term health impacts of fracking continue to mount. Last month, a study led by researchers at John’s Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found an association between a mother’s exposure to drilling and fracking activity during pregnancy and birth outcomes. The study found that the likelihood of preterm births were 40 percent higher among women living in areas with the most intense drilling and fracking operations compared to women with the lowest exposure level. Women living in heavy drilling areas during pregnancy were also more likely to have high-risk pregnancies, as reported by their healthcare provider.
“Viable alternatives to fracking are undeniably much more in the public’s interest and safer for human health and our environment,“ said Stephen Shaff, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Council. “From a business perspective, clean energy is where the greatest opportunities exist. Fracking is a boom and bust industry, and allowing this sort of destructive energy practice could damage truly sustainable economic development, while benefitting only a few.”
“We see no evidence that drilling for shale gas can be effectively regulated,” said Paul Roberts, Board President of Citizen Shale. “As the state’s longest-standing community organization seeking protections from the industry’s impacts, we find that a growing body of data strongly suggests fracking is dangerous to humans and the environment. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether fracking can provide economic benefits to the majority of local citizens or to the state. We look forward to completion of a fair and impartial analysis, funded by the county and federal government, of fracking’s potential affects on western Maryland’s tourism-based economy.”
“As a young farmer in western Maryland, I would inherit incredible suffering if fracking were permitted,” said Kim Alexander, Garrett County resident and member of The Harvest Collective. “Fracking would fracture our farms with toxic chemicals, fill the air with cancerous fumes, and permanently destroy our water. Maryland must ban fracking so we can continue to provide clean food, water, and sustainable energy solutions.”
“In addition to threatening the health and safety of Marylanders, fracking would also require more pipelines and compressor stations, which would bring yet more hazards to communities and tie us to fracked gas for at least 50 years,” said Elisabeth Hoffman, representing Howard County Climate Change. “We don’t have the luxury of time to avert climate chaos—we must act now. Maryland should ban fracking and move as quickly as possible away from dirty fossil fuels and toward clean energy and conservation.”
Contacts:
Shilpa Joshi, 240-396-2029, shilpa@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

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Public Interest Groups Demand Probe of Ethical Questions Surrounding Mayor Bowser’s Backing of Pepco Merger

DC leaders question role of stadium land deal and pay-to-play politics in reviving $6.8 billion Exelon takeover

WASHINGTON, D.C.—DC community leaders called today for a formal probe of “soccergate” questions surrounding Mayor Muriel Bowser’s recent decision to reverse course and revive a $6.8 billion utility company merger between Pepco Holdings and Chicago-based Exelon.
On October 6—just days after striking a $25 million sponsorship deal with Pepco to pave the way for the future DC United soccer stadium—the mayor struck an 11th-hour deal with Exelon to advance its merger bid. The DC Public Service Commission had unanimously rejected the merger on August 25, and Mayor Bowser backed the commission’s decision at the time.
This morning, community leaders “followed the money” to the site of the planned stadium to demand a city investigation of the timing and nature of the mayor’s deal with Pepco. During a press conference, public interest groups released a letter calling on the District Board of Ethics and Government Accountability to “evaluate these two high-stakes situations to ensure that there was no impropriety, collusion, or unethical conduct of any kind.” The groups, Public Citizen and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, also issued a Freedom of Information Act Request for all internal correspondence between the mayor’s office, Pepco and Exelon regarding the controversial negotiations.
“DC residents deserve to know if pay-to-play politics or quid pro quos played any role in advancing this massive corporate merger,” said Craig Holman, PhD, an ethics expert and Government Affairs Lobbyist at the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen. “If the mayor has nothing to hide, then we expect she’ll support this investigation and help clear the air.”
These latest developments come in the wake of scrutiny over Mayor Bowser’s super PAC—called “FreshPAC”—and the role of pay-to-play politics in her administration. In a radio interview last Friday, DC Attorney General Karl Racine said that Exelon and Pepco should disclose whether FreshPAC asked them for money while the merger was being considered.
“Among the lengthy list of reasons why this is horrendous for District ratepayers, the mayor’s merger deal, at its core, reeks the stench of corruption and scandal,” said Sherice Muhammad, chairperson of the Ward 7D Advisory Neighborhood Commission. “There’s nothing in the deal to protect DC residents from rate hikes or job losses. Is that because Mayor Bowser had interests other than the public’s in mind? A deal that’s ‘good for DC,’ should have involved DC residents through its ANCs and civic associations, not in some back room. We want answers.”
Exelon and Pepco are spending millions of dollars in ad and lobby money to pressure the DC Public Service Commission to reverse its rejection of the merger. The PSC recently agreed to review the Bowser-Exelon settlement deal on an expedited two-month timeline, including a public hearing on November 17. The deal has been widely criticized for failing to address the merger’s fundamental threats to DC, including higher electric bills, loss of local control, and stalled progress on clean energy.
“Back-room dealing, high-priced lobbying, and shock-and-awe advertising is typical of how Exelon gets its way all over the country,” said Tim Judson, executive director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. “If the PSC lets this merger go through, we can kiss the promise of open, accountable government in DC goodbye.”
Ultimately, community leaders said a range of steps should be taken to ensure a fair and transparent review of the current Pepco-Exelon merger and future proposals like it:

  • The District Board of Ethics and Government Accountability should launch an independent investigation into the “soccergate” questions and report on its findings before the PSC closes the record for its expedited merger review on December 18.
  • The Office of the Mayor should immediately release all internal correspondence related to the Pepco land swap agreement, Akridge property, DC United stadium, and potential naming rights and/or sponsorships for Pepco.
  • The District Council should establish an independent People’s Council position that is not appointed by the major. Notably, the District People’s Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye, who had been one of the most stalwart opponents of the merger, endorsed the mayor’s settlement just weeks before Mayor Bowser reappointed her to another term.

“Where there’s smoke, there’s almost always fire,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “The stakes for DC ratepayers, our clean energy future, and our democracy are too high to look the other way. We need an independent investigation of the facts and we need it now.”

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

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Thirty Groups in VA and WV Call for Single, Comprehensive Review of Multiple Proposed Gas Pipelines

Thirty organizations in Virginia and West Virginia have joined forces to call on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to conduct a combined, comprehensive review of all four of the major natural gas pipeline projects currently proposed for the Blue Ridge and Central Appalachian region. Many of the groups are based in counties where the Atlantic Coast Pipeline or Mountain Valley Pipeline would cut through family farms and national forest land, traverse steep slopes and dozens of streams.
In a letter sent to FERC today, the groups said the agency must do a single review, called a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, in order to evaluate the true need for each of the pipelines in relation to the others, as well as to assess the direct, indirect and cumulative environmental and social impacts of all the pipelines. Legal experts say that, under the National Environmental Policy Act, FERC is required to do a single, comprehensive review of all related projects in a single geographic region.
Joining landowner and environmental advocates in a tele-press conference this morning were Virginia state Sen. John Edwards and Del. Joseph Yost, whose districts include sections of the proposed route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Both have stated to FERC their opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Senator John Edwards (D), 21st District: “The many environmental impacts to this region include: in the event of an earthquake (which is likely due to a fault line in Giles), a 42 inch high pressure natural gas pipeline would likely rupture, causing a large explosion and extensive damage. There is also risk to numerous pure aquifers, and the mountainous terrain and limestone topography make building such a pipeline unsuitable. There are also many threatened and endangered species and other environmental and safety issues that need extensive and careful study.“
Delegate Joseph Yost (R), 12th District (in his letter to FERC): “Balancing the need for energy infrastructure while also respecting an individual’s property rights and safeguarding our natural resources for future enjoyment is no easy task. However, I again would like to state my opposition to the proposed MVP project. It is my hope you will examine this project closely over the coming months taking these and many other considerations under advisement and determine the same.”
On Friday, 16 groups filed a formal protest of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in which they said Dominion Transmission, Inc., and Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, had presented flawed and exaggerated information about the need for the pipeline, while ignoring the impacts to the environment, landowners, communities and the general public. The groups contend that FERC must evaluate the economic and environmental benefits of cleaner sources of energy that development of the pipeline would displace.
Also on Friday, Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC filed its permit application with FERC to build a massive natural gas pipeline spanning 301 miles from the fracking fields of West Virginia, over the mountains and into Virginia. It follows on the heels of the application filed in September for the 564-mile, $5.1 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would also carry fracked natural gas from West Virginia through Virginia into North Carolina.
Both projects have sparked intense opposition among local, state and regional organizations representing tens of thousands of people, including landowners whose property or communities would be affected, forest and wildlife conservationists, land preservationists, outdoor recreationists, climate activists and others. Preserve Craig sent a brief to FERC requesting a meeting to discuss the benefits of regional review of the Marcellus Shale natural gas pipelines.
New England is facing a similar situation of fielding proposals for multiple natural gas pipelines. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey recently asked FERC to conduct a combined review of those projects “to avoid piecemeal review, utilize a common analysis of regional gas demand, and compare each project’s impacts and benefits.”
Joanna Salidis, President of Friends of Nelson: “The least we, as unwilling citizens of a directly impacted community, deserve is the assurance that the federal regulatory process responsible for approving and siting the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is fair, thorough and accurate. We believe FERC’s current plan to review the ACP in isolation from the three other high-pressure, large-diameter pipelines proposed for our region is negligent in light of the ACP’s threats to our property rights, economy, health and safety.”
Joe Lovett, Appalachian Mountain Advocates: “FERC may not allow Dominion to build the ACP until it understands whether the pipeline is necessary. The FERC certificate may not be issued until FERC carefully analyzes whether there is sufficient capacity in existing infrastructure to transport the gas to market. Dominion has not come close to showing FERC that there is such need.”
Tammy Belinsky, Preserve Craig: “Given the surge in pipeline proposals within this region, the reliance on project-by-project environmental review has become increasingly ineffective and inadequate. FERC and the Forest Service staff’s review is complicated by duplicative and potentially inconsistent information regarding baseline conditions, cumulative impacts, connected actions, indirect effects, and mitigation protocols provided by the applicants and stakeholders.”
View the letter delivered to FERC: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/FERC-Pipeline-PEIS-Sign-on-letter-FINAL-10-26-15.pdf
Contact: Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

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Environmental Groups Plan Legal Challenge of Atlantic Coast Pipeline

The proposed 564-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline that would carry natural gas fracked in West Virginia through Virginia to North Carolina is not needed, would cause irreparable harm to the environment and private property, and should be denied, according to documents being filed today by 16 environmental groups.
On behalf of numerous groups in Virginia and West Virginia (listed below), Appalachian Mountain Advocates filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a motion to intervene in the permit process for the project and a formal protest. In addition, the groups are asking for an evidentiary hearing. (Contact Ben Luckett for a copy of the filing.)
Dominion Transmission, Inc., and Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC filed an application with FERC on September 21, 2015, to build the interstate gas pipeline. FERC is tasked with determining whether the pipeline will serve the “public convenience and necessity” and coordinating an environmental review of the pipeline. If FERC determines that the harm from the pipeline outweighs the benefit, it is supposed to deny the application.
In their 50-page filing, the environmental groups describe in detail how the companies presented flawed and exaggerated information about the need for the pipeline, while ignoring the impacts to the environment, landowners, communities and the general public, as well as the economic and environmental benefits of cleaner sources of energy that development of the pipeline would displace. In particular, the project would:

  • Fragment the heart of the largest remaining wild landscape in the eastern U.S.;
  • Cut through farms that have been held in families for generations, severing people’s attachment to their home place;
  • Lower property values in the vicinity of the pipeline and gas drilling areas;
  • Exacerbate health and environmental threats in communities near the fracking operations; and
  • Further commit the nation to long-term dependence on climate-altering fossil fuels.

Ben Luckett, Staff Attorney with Appalachian Mountain Advocates: “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline makes no sense. The pipeline would disrupt some of the most biodiverse forests and critical waterways in the nation, in addition to disturbing and endangering countless farms, homes, and communities. The harm to the land and people caused by fracking operations in the Marcellus region would only increase with the construction of the pipeline. Maybe worst of all, a major infrastructure investment like this would lock us into continued reliance on dirty, climate-altering fossil fuels. We need to be looking at how we can meet our power demands and stimulate our economy by rapidly scaling up our use of clean, renewable energy sources, the technology for which exists and is improving every day.”
Anne Havemann, General Counsel for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network: “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline will lock Virginia and the region into decades of reliance on a fossil fuel that is just as bad as coal for the climate. FERC must account for the greenhouse gas pollution triggered by this project at every step, from fracking to piping to eventual burning of the gas. If FERC does its job, it will be clear that wind, solar and energy efficiency alternatives are the way to go, especially with worsening storms and flooding already wreaking havoc across Virginia.”
Kirk Bowers, Pipelines Campaign Manager, Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club: “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline severely impacts our water resources, fragments more than 50 miles of national forest property, impacts the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail, significantly decreases property values and increases our dependence on fracking natural gas for power generation. Our children’s and grandchildren’s future depend on decreasing consumption of natural gas to avoid devastating climate disruption. Dominion’s plan to use natural gas as a power source jeopardizes the future of generations to come.”
Beth Little, Atlantic Coast Pipeline Coordinator with the West Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club: “Dominion doesn’t follow the rules. They have filed an incomplete application with FERC, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service. They had so many violations on pipelines in West Virginia that the WV DEP, after pursuing them for over two years, had them sign a Consent Decree to clean up their act and pay fines. If even government agencies can’t get them to act right, what can we expect?”
Hannah Wiegard, Virginia Campaign Coordinator with Appalachian Voices: “Appalachian communities have been hard-hit by the fracking boom, and now face the threat of a huge natural gas pipeline that would be built over steep mountain slopes, cross dozens of streams, and cut through vital public lands and private farms. Not only would the pipeline worsen the impacts of fracking in those communities, it would lock us into decades of dependence on dirty energy and divert investment away from cleaner, more sustainable energy sources.”
Groups filing motions to intervene:
Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Appalachian Voices, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Doddridge County Watershed Association, Eight Rivers Council, Greenbrier River Watershed Association, Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville, Inc., Shannon Farm Community, Sierra Club, West Virginia Rivers Coalition and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.
Groups filing the formal protest: All the above groups, plus five others which had previously filed their own motions to intervene: Augusta County Alliance, Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition, Friends of Nelson, Heartwood and Wild Virginia.
Contact: Anne Havemann Chesapeake Climate Action Network (240) 396-1984 anne@chesapeakeclimate.org

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Feds Must Weigh Climate Harm of Mountain Valley Pipeline, Along with Clean Energy Alternatives

$3.2 billion pipeline is the second of four major gas industry projects proposed in Virginia to file for federal approval

Analysis shows clean energy alternatives would create more jobs while protecting the climate

RICHMOND—Today, Mountain Valley LLC, a joint venture of companies led by EQT Midstream Partners, filed its federal application to build the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline. This $3.2 billion, 42-inch-wide fracked gas pipeline would stretch 301 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia, require up to three compressor stations, and is the second of four pipeline projects proposed for the same region of Virginia and West Virginia to apply for federal approval. Just last month, Dominion Resources filed its application to construct the controversial 564-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to fully assess the harm both projects would inflict on the climate as part of a comprehensive environmental review that also considers clean energy alternatives.
Drew Gallagher, Virginia Organizer for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, had the following statement:
“Virginia is facing an unprecedented expansion of fracked-gas infrastructure, with potentially disastrous consequences for our climate, health, homes and unique natural resources. Along with Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the Mountain Valley Pipeline would lock us into decades more reliance on a dirty fossil fuel that’s as bad as coal for the climate.
“In conducting its review, FERC must stop turning a blind eye to the climate harm of fracked gas, and start prioritizing truly clean alternatives. Studies show methane traps heat 86 times more effectively than carbon dioxide. No review will be adequate unless FERC considers the full cycle of greenhouse gas pollution that the project will trigger from fracking wells to compressor stations to all 301 miles of pipeline to the burning of the gas.
“A Chesapeake Climate Action Network analysis shows that investing $3.2 billion into clean energy alternatives, instead of another fossil fuel pipeline, would be a far better deal for Virginia. For instance, if Mountain Valley LLC invested $3.2 billion in solar energy, it could conservatively fund the installation of enough solar panels to power more than 273,000 Virginia homes and reduce carbon emissions at a rate equal to taking more than 407,000 cars off the road.[1]
“Investing this $3.2 billion in wind energy would bring similar benefits while creating 4,770 jobs during construction and 1,180 permanent jobs annually.[1] By contrast, a widely criticized study funded by Mountain Valley LLC estimated that the pipeline would support 4,300 construction jobs, and 34 permanent jobs, which doesn’t factor in the significant economic costs or job losses that could result from leaks, explosions, declining property values, and harm to natural resources.
“FERC and Governor McAuliffe must wake up to the reality that we can and must meet our energy needs without jeopardizing Virginians’ homes, health, and climate.”
The Mountain Valley Pipeline is one of four interstate gas pipeline projects currently proposed for the central Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountain region of Virginia and West Virginia—along with Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Williams’ Appalachian Connector Pipeline, and the Columbia Pipeline Group’s WB Xpress Project.
On Monday, CCAN will join pipeline foes and bipartisan legislators for a tele-press conference to demand a single, comprehensive regional review of all four proposed projects. The coalition will release a joint letter to FERC from more than 30 groups.
Contact:
Drew Gallagher, 804-896-2654, drew@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
1. Solar and wind energy analysis is based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data and National Renewable Energy Laboratory modeling.

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the biggest and oldest grassroots organization dedicated to fighting climate change in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. CCAN is building a powerful movement to shift our region away from climate-harming fossil fuels and to clean energy solutions: www.chesapeakeclimate.org.

Prince George’s Expo to Showcase Community Benefits of Climate Action

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

Saturday, October 24:
Prince George’s Expo to Showcase Clean Air and Community Benefits of Expanding Climate Action in Maryland

Del. Dereck Davis and Councilwoman Toles to join over 20 civic, government, clean energy business, environment, and faith groups

Event is part of a six-stop fall ‘Clean Energy Roadshow’ highlighting benefits of increasing Md.’s renewable energy standard

DISTRICT HEIGHTS—On Saturday, October 24th, Delegate Dereck Davis and Councilwoman Karen Toles will join the Maryland Climate Coalition and over 20 green business, civic, faith, government, and environmental groups for an “Energy, Health & Climate Expo” at the Suitland Community Center.
Through a panel discussion, workshops, and interactive booths, the event will showcase how Marylanders can participate in and benefit from climate solutions—from making their homes more energy efficient to exploring solar job opportunities to speaking out for stronger clean energy policies in the General Assembly.
The expo in Prince George’s County is part of a six-stop “Clean Energy Roadshow” organized by the Maryland Climate Coalition this fall. Each event is highlighting how renewing Maryland’s landmark 2009 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, which must be reauthorized in 2016, and expanding the state’s clean energy standard to 25% by 2020 will benefit our health, economy and environment.
WHAT: “Energy, Health & Climate Expo: Renewing Maryland Together,” including a panel discussion with Delegate Dereck Davis and Councilwoman Karen Toles, interactive booths with over a dozen organizations and green businesses, and family-friendly activities on energy efficiency and public health. Participants will find resources on saving energy and money by going green at home.
WHERE: Suitland Community Center, 5600 Regency Ln, District Heights, MD 20747
WHEN: Saturday, October 24th, 1-4pm. Panel discussion will begin at 1:30pm.
WHO: Panel discussion on the state policies we need to grow Prince George’s clean energy economy will feature:

  • Maryland Delegate Dereck Davis, District 25, Prince George’s County
  • Commissioner Karen Toles, Prince George’s County Council
  • Adam Ortiz, Director for the Department of the Environment of Prince George’s County
  • Sara Via, Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park

Participating organizations and green businesses include:

The EmPowers: energy-saving superheroes! * Shepherd Energy * Prince George’s County Department of the Environment * Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation* Eco Beco * Chesapeake Climate Action Network * Maryland Organizing for Action * Climate Change Maryland * Groundswell clean energy purchasing groups* Solar City * Complete Home Solutions * Community Forklift * Grid Alternatives * Prince George’s Greens * Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility * Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake * Watt Watchers * Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development * Greenbelt Climate Action Network * Climate Change is Elementary * PEPCO * Boy Scouts of America * National Wildlife Federation

CONTACT: Kelly Trout, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
The next three clean energy roadshow stops will be:

November 12th, 5-8pm
Boys and Girls Club, 2002 Cedar Dr, Edgewood, MD 21040

November 17th, 7-9 pm
Columbia East Library, Center for Aging, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045

November 21st, 1-4pm
Baltimore City Community College, 2901 Liberty Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215

Advocates are using the hashtag #CleanerMDnow to distribute information about the 2016 legislation and these supporting events.

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The Maryland Climate Coalition brings together environmental, faith, labor, and civic organizations to advance clean energy and climate policies in Maryland. For more information about the Maryland Climate Coalition, visit http://www.marylandclimatecoalition.org.

Top 3 Issues to Watch for in Gov. McAuliffe’s Energy Action Week

CONTACT:
Dawone Robinson, 804-767-8983, dawone@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

Real leadership must involve real action on VA’s coastal flooding crisis

This week, Governor McAuliffe is expected to focus on his energy agenda in Virginia. But it remains to be seen if this week of energy action adds up to the real leadership Virginia needs on climate change.
As Pope Francis reminded us last week, “courageous” action is needed to “redirect our steps” and protect our common home. As the latest images of flooded streets and sidewalks in Hampton Roads remind us, Virginia has no time to lose. The homes of tens of thousands of Virginians, businesses, and vital military infrastructure are at risk now from rising sea levels driven by fossil fuel pollution. A massive, coordinated investment is needed now to keep 1.7 million coastal citizens safe and dry.
These are the top three ways we’ll be looking for Governor McAuliffe’s “energy action” to translate into real climate action this week:

1. Will Gov. McAuliffe’s “energy action” bring real resources to Virginia communities on the front lines of climate change now?

Of the flooding crisis in Hampton Roads, Gov. McAuliffe said in July 2014, “We can’t bury our head in the sand anymore.” However, Gov. McAuliffe has yet to bring meaningful solutions to the massive challenge localities face in funding sea level rise and flood-protection measures.
A bipartisan, win-win solution is gaining momentum: joining the nine-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. This proven, market-based program would lower emissions from power plants in Virginia while generating about $200 million annually through 2030 in new state revenue, providing a dedicated source of funding for adaptation measures. The Virginia Coastal Protection Act — state legislation that would commit Virginia to joining RGGI and dedicate half of the funds to coastal adaptation efforts — has the support of a growing, bipartisan coalition of city governments, state legislators, low-income advocates, and health, social justice and environmental groups. Gov. McAuliffe’s administration could be laying the groundwork to move Virginia into RGGI. Will he step up and embrace this solution?

2. Will Gov. McAuliffe leverage the Clean Power Plan as a springboard for comprehensive clean energy and adaptation action?

The federal Clean Power Plan sets a new minimum requirement for Virginia to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, a requirement that Virginia is already well on its way to achieving. Gov. McAuliffe must go above and beyond. He must leverage the Clean Power Plan in a way that responds to Virginia’s biggest climate challenges: an overreliance on fracked gas — at the expense of energy efficiency and clean energy investments — and an urgent need for coastal adaptation funding.
On both counts, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative again rises to the top as a win-win solution. By setting a declining cap on carbon emissions, the RGGI program would incentivize investments in Virginia’s clean energy economy instead of new fossil fuels. Investing RGGI revenue in new energy efficiency programs (in addition to coastal adaptation measures) would lower Virginians’ utility bills while eliminating the need for costly new gas-fired power plants. Will Gov. McAuliffe embrace action that goes above the bare minimum of the Clean Power Plan, mobilizing money for our coast and moving Virginia beyond fracked gas?

3. Will Gov. McAuliffe stop endorsing action that makes climate change worse?

During his time in office, Gov. McAuliffe has taken several major positions that move Virginia in the wrong direction on energy. Massive new pipelines for fracked gas, including the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines, would lock Virginia into decades of more reliance on fossil fuels while putting our communities at risk. A growing number of studies show reliance on fracked gas is just as harmful to the climate as coal. Methane that leaks from fracking wells, pipelines, and gas processing facilities is 86 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
Paving the way for new investments in dirty fossil fuels is the exact opposite of climate leadership, especially when Virginia has vast, untapped resources of solar, wind and energy efficiency waiting to be developed. Will Gov. McAuliffe use this energy action week to refocus 100% of his attention on making Virginia a true leader on clean, renewable energy development?
RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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