Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Op-Ed by Victoria Higgins, CCAN Action Fund’s Virginia Director, initially published in Richmond Times Dispatch. Recently, NextEra CEO John Ketchum joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to celebrate a $54 billion investment in a new gas pipeline in Alaska. In his remarks, Mr. Ketchum said Trump has done an “amazing” job on energy. Really? If NextEra […]

The post NextEra Support for Trump Energy Policies Is a Concern  appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

By Denise Robbins, CCAN Communications Team Across Maryland, communities are hitting the brakes on the rapid buildout of massive data centers. After Anne Arundel County joined the growing list of jurisdictions adopting a temporary moratorium, roughly 90% of Marylanders now live in a county or city with some form of data center ban or pause, […]

The post Maryland’s Data Center Backlash Is Growing. Here’s What Comes Next appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

By Quentin Scott, Federal Policy Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network Not long ago, conversations about solar reflective methods (SRM) were dominated by one question: How do we stop it? At this year’s Climate Week NYC, we heard a different one: How do we make sure research into this emerging climate technology is done responsibly?  Nearly […]

The post The SRM Conversation Is Growing: Nearly 100 Scientists, Advocates, and Skeptics Showed Up to Claim Their Seat appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Climate group warns Virginia families could be left footing the bill for Big Tech’s power grab if merger goes through RICHMOND, VA — The staff of Virginia’s State Corporation Commission (SCC) recommended on Monday that regulators deny NextEra Energy’s proposed $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy as currently proposed, concluding that the companies have not […]

The post SCC Staff Right to Recommend Merger Denial as Data Center Costs Mount appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Typical bills climb by over $100 a month as data centers demand more energy RICHMOND, VA — Dominion Energy’s newly filed 2026 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) update projects that the utility’s carbon pollution will more than double compared to last year’s plan while customer bills climb steadily for the next two decades. Under the IRP’s […]

The post Dominion’s Updated Energy Plan Doubles Pollution as it Prepares to Merge with NextEra appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Climate group commends Virginia’s Lt. Governor for taking a clear stance against creation of largest utility monopoly in the world  RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi announced yesterday her opposition to NextEra’s acquisition of Dominion Energy. The announcement came after the conclusion of a five-stop listening tour during which the Lt. Governor heard […]

The post Lt. Governor Hashmi Right to Oppose NextEra and Dominion Mega-Merger appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) selected yesterday the Chalk Point Storage Project (Prince George’s County, 400 MW) and Jade Meadow III Battery Storage (Garrett County, 40 MW) under the Round 1 solicitation of the Next Generation Energy Act (NGEA). A coalition of clean energy and environmental organizations thanks the Commission for […]

The post Maryland PSC Approves Two Battery Storage Projects; Coalition Urges Continued Progress Toward Grid Reliability Goals appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Modeling demonstrates urgent need to curb data center load growth RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) released today her State Energy Plan, a document required by state code that must outline approaches to achieving a net-zero economy across all sectors no later than 2045. The Plan’s policy recommendations strongly depart from the gas and […]

The post Spanberger Energy Plan Strongly Prioritizes Low-Cost Clean Energy appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Nearly 100 experts on all sides of the solar geoengineering debate gathered to explore responsible research into the emerging climate technology   NEW YORK, NY – Once a fringe topic in the climate community, a solar reflection methods (SRM) educational event hosted by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) convened nearly 100 scientists, policymakers, civil […]

The post Scientists and Skeptics Gathered at Climate Week NYC for Serious Exploration of Solar Geoengineering appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore took positive steps to protect Marylanders from the harms of data centers with his executive order (EO) released today. In a press conference announcing the EO, the Governor spelled out five principles guiding the state’s criteria for considering data center projects, barred Maryland employees from entering into nondisclosure agreements […]

The post Gov. Moore’s Data Center Executive Order Takes Positive Steps But Fails to Embrace Moratorium and Clean Energy Mandate, Leaves Communities Vulnerable appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Launch of $72.5 million Heat Pump Rebate Program provides opportunity to deliver immediate economic relief for Maryland households facing massive heating cost spikes   BALTIMORE, MD — As Maryland residents who rely on heating oil and propane are expected to see winter heating bills spike as much as 31%, the Maryland Clean Heat Coalition today submitted comments urging the Maryland Energy […]

The post Maryland Clean Heat Coalition Urges Policymakers to Prioritize Upgrading Homes on Delivered Fuels with Heat Pumps  appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Platform represents major improvement upon status quo, but communities in crisis need immediate relief through pause on data center development   RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger released today her “Data Center Accountability Framework,” which includes a combination of executive actions and policy endorsements to protect communities and the environment from data centers. Several of […]

The post Spanberger Data Center Platform Takes Steps Forward, But Communities Still Need “Pause to Protect” appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Blog by Plugin Solar US, published as part of their Behind the Bill series exploring how U.S. states are shaping plug-in solar policy. Del. Paul Krizek and Virginia climate advocate Jamie Bacon show how one constituent email about Utah’s balcony-solar law helped spark a coalition, companion bills, and a new pathway for renters and homeowners. […]

The post Behind the Bill: How Virginia Turned a Constituent Idea Into a Plug-In Solar Law appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

By Zachery Suaco, Communications and Social Media Intern at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) I grew up knowing what climate disaster looked like before I had a word for it. My family is Filipino, and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 was not a news story for us. It consisted of phone calls we were afraid […]

The post Your Feed Is Warming the Planet: Why Gen Z’s Next Climate Move Is Data Center Accountability appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Controversial decision undercuts New York law that sought $75 billion from the largest historical emitters to fund climate resilience, rather than taxpayers footing the bill for extreme weather impacts   WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite a controversial ruling out of New York State, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) vowed to continue efforts to make polluters, […]

The post New York Climate Superfund Court Ruling Not the Final Word on State Superfund Laws appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Op-ed by Sidnie Duncan, Advocacy and Outreach Fellow at CCAN, originally published in the Roanoke Times. College students today face a dilemma with artificial intelligence (AI). On one hand, AI can make schoolwork faster, clearer and learning more personalized. On the other hand, it’s tied to growing inequality, worsening climate change and real public health […]

The post Generation Raised by Technology Must Shape AI’s Future appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Policymakers Need Solar Reflective Methods Research — NOT Conspiracy Theories   By Quentin Scott, Federal Policy Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network What if scientists might one day have tools that could temporarily slow down the worst immediate effects of climate change, protect millions of lives, and buy us more time to advance the clean energy […]

The post 70 Bills, 29 States: Misinformation Fuels Campaign Against Climate Science appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

More than 6,500 people have signed a petition demanding that FERC reject the Mountain Valley Pipeline expansion as state concerns remain unresolved. RICHMOND, VA — On Friday, August 7, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its Environmental Assessment (EA) for Mountain Valley Pipeline’s (MVP) proposed “MVP Boost” expansion. While the assessment concludes that the […]

The post Thousands Urge Feds to Reject “MVP Boost” While Virginia DEQ Suspends Impact Review appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

A day-long conference bringing together residents, advocates, community leaders, and public officials for discussion, training, and organizing to protect communities from dirty and dangerous data centers. BALTIMORE, MD – With a bipartisan wave of data center opposition sweeping Maryland, two top nonprofits today unveiled plans to host the first statewide conference aimed at confronting the […]

The post “People Over Data Centers” Maryland’s First Statewide Conference on Confronting the Data Center Crisis appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

By Macy Brigham-Hill, DC Campaign Intern, Chesapeake Climate Action Network Growing up in the Nation’s Capitol, I spent my summers climbing trees, exploring Rock Creek Park, playing sports, going to the Zoo, camps and playgrounds, and spending almost all of my time outside. Today, those summers are being reshaped by extreme heat. Heat advisories, cancellations, […]

The post DC Summers Are Getting More Extreme and Expensive – Who’s Responsible? appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.