Read this: All the news on the climate fight. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

CCAN Summer Newsletter

DC | MD | VA | Donate

Message from the Director

Mike Tidwell

Dear John,

It was the worst of times. It was the worst of times.

Or so it seems lately in our country. COVID-19. Police brutality. The recession. And, in case anyone has forgotten, the climate keeps changing faster and faster. The temperature reached nearly 101 degrees Fahrenheit in Siberia last week, inside the Arctic Circle. That just flat-out scares me.

And, like most of you, CCAN has been very busy on many fronts this spring and summer. In April, thanks to a Zoom comedy show, we raised nearly $3,000 for the Capital Area Food Bank. In June, we joined the Movement for Black Lives to fight against runaway police budgets and abuse against Black and Brown communities. And all the while we’ve maintained the fight against climate change in the Chesapeake region and nationwide while protecting our staff through work-at-home practices and safe protesting in the streets. That’s why we’re asking you to support our work.

Read more on the blog -->

Washington, DC and National

Announcing: "Fight to Vote. Vote to Live."

The November election for President and Congress is the biggest election in our lifetime. Climate change. COVID-19. Police brutality. We can only begin to solve these problems with the ballot. Which is why our sister organization CCAN Action Fund launched a campaign called “Fight to Vote. Vote to Live.”

As you read this, powerful leaders across the country are doing all they can to purposefully suppress ballot access, especially in Black and Brown communities. That’s why we’re asking you to sign the pledge to “Fight to Vote.” When you do, we’ll follow up with easy-to-use tools to register yourself and others to vote. Sign the pledge today!

DC Attorney General Sues Fossil Fuel Companies

We have great news from Washington, DC. Attorney General Karl Racine recently filed a lawsuit against fossil fuel companies for misleading consumers about climate change. The short story: Big oil companies like ExxonMobil knew their product would cause global warming, then lied for decades to cover up the science. Now, the lawsuit alleges, these companies should pay DC residents for climate damages. We cheered on this lawsuit and will be supporting its efforts.

Similar lawsuits have been filed nationwide, and these lawsuits have been picking up steam. In the past three months, judges in the fourth and ninth circuit courts have ruled that these cases should proceed in state court, which is great news!

But the fossil fuel executives at Exxon and others will do all they can to stop these lawsuits. We know they will try to make Congress give them a waiver of liability, essentially throwing out those lawsuits. CCAN has been working hard to prevent this. Congressman Jamie Raskin wrote a letter urging House leadership never to pass such a waiver, and we helped him get 60 members of Congress to put their names on it — as a result of this, the recently introduced federal climate policy now makes such a disclaimer clear. Polluters will keep trying to get themselves off the hook for causing climate change, and we will keep holding them accountable. Read more about DC's lawsuit, then donate to fund our work fighting fossil fuel corporations in Congress.

A Historic Movement for Black Lives in the Nation's Capital

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network was created to fight for a safe, sustainable future. Justice has always been a part of that goal. Now, with the rampant racism running through our country, and shocking recent police brutality events, it’s clear that justice must come to the fore.

That’s why we supported protests in DC and across the country to fight for a more equitable future. We’re also supporting efforts to “defund the police” — specifically, to rapidly divest from police programs that directly or indirectly give rise to brutality, and invest instead in social and community programs that protect and enhance the wellbeing of all Americans.

Right now, we are in a historic moment with a massive movement fighting for racial equality, and we can’t just watch from the sidelines. History will look back upon this year. We urge you to learn more about the police divestment movement. Watch this video with CCAN Board Members Terence Ellen and Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. on why CCAN supports the “Defund Police” movement.

"Fight to Vote. Vote to Live." Watch the video

We’ve got to do our part to make sure everyone’s voice is heard in November, especially the voices most suppressed and most vulnerable. To do that, we need to make sure everyone's vote is counted. Our sister organization, CCAN Action Fund, has a plan. All we need now is you.

Watch the video (2 minutes):

Maryland

Recover from Coronavirus with a Climate Stimulus

When the Maryland General Assembly adjourned early, without passing a single bill to address climate change, we were disappointed, to say the least. The Climate Solutions Act — which would have given Maryland the strongest climate pollution reduction requirements in the nation — had cleared two Senate committees and received a strong bipartisan vote, only to fall short. But with the COVID-19 shutdown putting one out of every six Marylanders out of work, we now know those climate actions are our single best way to get people back on their feet.

That's why CCAN is working with wind and solar industry representatives, other climate advocates, and state legislators on a package of climate actions that are affordable for the state, create thousands of good-paying jobs, AND help us save a habitable planet for future generations. We can unleash more than 5,000 wind and solar jobs in the next few years just by addressing needless regulatory complications. We can go from losing more than 10,000 energy efficiency jobs during the pandemic to leading the nation in annual energy rate savings. We can keep fossil fuel-powered cars off the road by investing federal stimulus dollars in maintaining and ultimately expanding public transit. But we need you. Sign the petition to support a climate stimulus in Maryland!

A New Fracked-Gas Threat on Maryland's Eastern Shore

After launching CCAN’s “No New Fossil Fuels” campaign, we have worked diligently together to protect ALL Maryland communities from the onslaught of fracked-gas infrastructure through legislation, legal action, grassroots mobilization, and more. This has included standing with communities as they continue to weather the possibility of the Potomac Pipeline, listening to and working with communities that are boxed in by polluting and toxic fossil fuel infrastructure, and more.

Now, there’s a new pipeline threat coming to Maryland, and Maryland ratepayers are on the hook for it. Two proposed pipelines would connect to bring fracked gas from Delaware into Maryland down the Eastern Shore, threatening the region’s ecosystems and drinking water supplies, and causing irreparable damage to the land and our climate.

On Tuesday, July 7th at 6:00pm, the Maryland Department of the Environment will be hosting a virtual hearing on a permit needed to move forward with construction. This is a perfect opportunity to attend and voice your concerns directly to the MDE. RSVP to join the virtual hearing here!

Virginia

We Passed the Historic Virginia Clean Economy Act!

2020 was the year for bold action on our electricity grid in the Old Dominion. With the passage of major clean energy bills during the legislative session this spring, we have taken gigantic steps towards a fossil fuel free electricity grid within our lifetimes. We have passed the Environmental Justice Act, joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Solar Freedom bill, and, most notably the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). VCEA will shut down Virginia-based fossil fuel generation by 2045 and get all utilities to 100% clean power by 2050.

While we will still be taking more action to speed up the transition towards a clean grid, we also need to expand our horizons in order to tackle the biggest carbon emitter in Virginia, transportation. CCAN is taking this challenge head on: in the coming months you are going to hear about some of our ideas to equitably transition away from combustion engines and towards a cleaner future where everyone can get to where they need to be without the use of carbon and hopefully without needing a car at all. Donate today to help us keep our winning streak going as we move into the transportation sector!

The Latest Statewide Pipeline Fight: The Header Injustice Project

CCAN is engaged on all fronts in a fight against Virginia Natural Gas’ Header Injustice Project (HIP). This insidious network of dirty energy would include three new gas pipelines (totaling 24 miles) and three new or expanded gas compressor stations. HIP is projected to snake from Northern Virginia, through Central Virginia, and end in Hampton Roads, poisoning the air and water of countless communities and swallowing whole neighborhoods into dangerous “blast zones.” The health risks posed by this project cannot be overstated.

We just had a MAJOR win when the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) voted to withhold a key permit for the project! But we know the fight is not over. The fracked gas company will keep pushing its terrible project into communities that don't want it to feed gas plants that we don't need -- with key components going through majority-minority communities, the textbook definition of environmental racism. We're going to keep fighting this and other fracked gas projects on all fronts. Donate to support our efforts to keep Virginia free from fracked gas.

Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Still Missing Eight Permits

Despite a disappointing decision by the Supreme Court, Dominion's Atlantic Coast Pipeline is far from a done deal. In a 7-2 decision on June 15, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the U.S. Forest Service had the authority to grant a permit for the ACP to cross the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. While the Forest Service may have the authority to allow this crossing, the agency still has a number of issues to fix with that permit. The lack of a Forest Service permit plus the seven other permits the ACP lacks -- from an air permit for the Buckingham County Compressor Station to a permit under the Endangered Species Act -- means that Dominion has a long way to go before it can break ground in Virginia. More details on these missing permits available here.

Meanwhile, the Mountain Valley Pipeline continues to fall farther and farther behind, with an in-service date most recently pushed to 2021. The pipeline is under a stop-work order thanks to a challenge to the pipeline's Endangered Species Act permit brought by CCAN, the Sierra Club, and others and it is also missing key permits to cross rivers and streams. The pipeline has been an environmental and economic disaster, wreaking incredible environmental damage to the region at a price tag of more than $5.4 billion. We'll keep fighting this pipeline in courts.

Back to the ACP, Dominion just asked the federal government for a two-year extension while it sorts out its mess. Tell the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission enough is enough: deny Dominion's request. Deadline is TODAY!

Events

DC Events

July 6, 6:00pm: DC Climate Coalition meeting. What's next after the Clean Energy DC Act? Join dozens of environmental groups for their monthly meeting discussing climate justice in the District.

RSVP

July 26, 5:00pm: Climate, Literature and Activism with author Jenny Offill and Politics & Prose. Join us for a conversation with NY Times-bestselling author Jenny Offill to discuss her new novel Weather, about a librarian grappling with the climate crisis. This event is a fundraiser for the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute.

RSVP

MD Events

July 15, 7:00pm: Writing for Advocacy: Zoom training. Want to know how to write a great letter to the editor to help support our Maryland campaigns? How about general tips and tricks to write something great and convince all your friends to join the movement? This training is for you!

RSVP

July 29, 7:00pm: New Volunteer Orientation. Have you wanted to get involved with the climate fight but really aren’t sure how? Are you fired up but don’t know how to direct your energy? We want you! Join us for our Volunteer Orientation to learn more about how you personally can fit into the Maryland climate movement.

RSVP

VA Events

July 14, 7:00pm: Writing for Advocacy: Zoom training. Want to know how to write a great letter to the editor to help support our Virginia campaigns? How about general tips and tricks to write something great and convince all your friends to join the movement? This training is for you!

RSVP

August 11, 7:00pm: New Volunteer Orientation. Join CCAN for our first Virginia Volunteer Training! We will be outlining the ways you can support ongoing campaigns in Virginia with varying levels of time commitment and no previous experience needed.

RSVP

Support CCAN

Under a Trump presidency, state-based climate action is the path forward to keeping fossil fuels in the ground and ramping up clean energy progress. Your tax-deductible donation will help us respond to threats to our climate with bold, creative action. Make your gift today!

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