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

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

For Immediate Release
January 17, 2013

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

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

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

Continue reading

New Poll Demonstrates Mounting Support for Offshore Wind Initiative

For Immediate Release
January 17, 2013 
 
Research finds that 72% of Maryland voters support investment in offshore wind development; Nearly four times as likely to vote for a legislator who supports wind power
 
ANNAPOLIS — A new poll released today shows a growing number of Maryland voters and a strong majority – 72 percent – across all political and geographic subgroups, support investing in the development of offshore wind power. These results represent an 8% increase since similar polling was conducted in December 2011. 
 
“With popularity increasing among voters, legislators who vote for offshore wind power stand to benefit at the ballot box,” stated Karla Raettig, Executive Director for Maryland League of Conservation Voters. According to the poll, Marylanders are almost four times as likely to vote for a legislator who supports offshore wind power rather than against them in the next election.

Continue reading

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

For Immediate Release
January 15, 2013
 
Contact: 
Beth Kemler, 804-335-0915, beth@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
 
Proposed legislation would harm environment and, opponents say, constitutes a confession that Dominion has accepted $77 million from ratepayers without properly fulfilling intent of current law
 
RICHMOND—Dominion Virginia Power has informed environmental groups that the company has reached a tentative agreement with Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to support legislation that would effectively repeal the state’s signature clean energy law. The move, environmentalists said, would not only harm the environment but also represents a de facto admission of guilt by Dominion. The company has already accepted $77 million from ratepayers without making the clean energy investments that the General Assembly first intended with its original 2007 law.
 

Continue reading

Groups support MDE settlement to clean up Genon's toxic coal ash pollution in Charles, Montgomery and PG Counties

For Immediate Release
January 14, 2013

Contact:
Diana Dascalu-Joffe, (240) 396-1984, diana@chesapeakeclimate.org

MDE Lauded for Legal Action to Stop Ground and Surface Water Contamination and Prevent Additional Pollution at Coal Ash Sites; GenOn to pay a civil penalty of $1.9 million

BALTIMORE—In a victory for Maryland communities and waterways, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) filed a consent decree in federal court requiring utility company GenOn to clean up widespread ground and surface water pollution at three of its coal ash disposal sites. MDE and environmental groups have accused GenOn of illegally discharging toxic pollution into groundwater and local waterways at the Faulkner Landfill in Charles County, Brandywine Landfill in Prince Georges County, and the Westland Landfill in Montgomery County.

Continue reading

Activists launch fracking moratorium campaign with ‘water taste test’ on Lawyer’s Mall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2013

CONTACT:
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022 or 717-439-0346, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
Mike Tidwell, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org

Lawmakers are greeted with the choice of polluted well water from a PA fracking area or clean water from a MD State House drinking fountain to underscore risk to state water resources

ANNAPOLIS—As the 2013 Maryland General Assembly session commenced Wednesday, dozens of activists came out to kick off an historic campaign to pass a legislative moratorium on fracking by holding a “water taste test” for lawmakers on Lawyer’s Mall. Activists have declared 2013 the year for legislators to finally put a moratorium in place and guarantee protections for communities at risk of water and air pollution, health problems and other harmful impacts associated with this controversial drilling process.

“Our neighbors in Pennsylvania have drilled first and asked questions later, and the polluted PA well water sample we brought to Annapolis today shows the potentially dire costs of that approach,” said Mike Tidwell, executive director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Lawmakers need to make our state policy clear in 2013: As long as the gas industry continues to block thorough study of the dangers of fracking in Maryland, there should be no fracking in Maryland—period.”

Continue reading

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

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2012

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

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

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

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

Continue reading

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

For Immediate Release

November 30, 2012

 

Contact:

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

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

 

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

 

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

Continue reading

Maryland Senators unveil support for a state fracking moratorium as groups take EPA action

For Immediate Release
October 24, 2012

Contact:
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
Diana Dascalu-Joffe, 240-396-1984, diana@chesapeakeclimate.org

Maryland Senators unveil support for a state fracking moratorium as groups take legal action to close EPA loophole

Legislators say no drilling should happen in Maryland until communities know the risks

Two noted Maryland Senators announced their support for a state statutory moratorium on fracking today, just minutes after 17 groups nationwide filed a groundbreaking legal petition demanding that the EPA, for the first time, require reporting of toxic chemicals used in the controversial gas drilling process.

Continue reading

Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell challenged to publicly debate controversial $76 million energy bonus

For Immediate Release

October 18, 2012

Contact:
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
Mike Tidwell, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org

Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell challenged to publicly debate controversial $76 million energy bonus

Activists bring giant ostrich and bucket of sand to illustrate problem outside company doors in Richmond

RICHMOND — Clean energy advocates today presented Dominion Virginia Power CEO Thomas Farrell a fresh challenge over the controversial $76 million bonus his company is receiving under the state’s renewable energy law: debate us publicly at the day, time and rules of your choosing. (Read the letter.)

Continue reading

Crowd outside Dominion swells on final day of week-long picket over $76 million rip-off

 Alliance for Progressive Values ■ Chesapeake Climate Action Network ■ Physicians for Social Responsibility ■ Sierra Club Virginia Chapter ■ Virginia Alliance for a Cleaner Environment

For Immediate Release
October 6, 2012

Contact:
Kirsten Collins, 919-740-0201, kirsten@chesapeakeclimate.org
Glen Besa, 804-387-6001, glen.besa@sierraclub.org

Crowd outside Dominion’s Richmond office swells to 100 on final day of week-long picket over $76 million rip-off

Picketers to Dominion CEO: Earn your company’s bonus with Virginia-made clean energy

RICHMOND — Dominion Virginia Power faced the largest picket line for clean energy yet outside of its Richmond offices today. Approximately 100 people from across the commonwealth capped off a week of daily protests by challenging Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell to stop ripping off customers under the state’s renewable energy law and start bringing clean solar and wind power online in Virginia.

Continue reading