Note: Cascade publication will take a break in August
Sierra Club Virginia and Environmental Organizations Demand Safeguards in Data Center Buildout
By Paige Wesselink, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter
Almost 40 organizations from across Virginia have come together to ask the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to bring public voices into the drafting of its Memorandum of Understanding with Amazon Web Services.
A data center in Loudoun County, Virginia. Photo credit Hugh Kenny
The MOU will govern what Amazon has to do to earn $165 million in state grant funding and tax incentives likely worth many hundreds of millions as it builds out $35 billion in new data centers in Virginia. By law, Amazon must create only 1,000 new jobs to qualify for these incentives, but the legislation establishing the incentive program also gives VEDP broad discretion to include other terms and conditions it deems appropriate.
We believe the public interest requires a robust discussion of the planned data center buildout and the inclusion of rigorous conditions to protect the health and welfare of Virginians, the environment, and the climate.
Sierrans Join Coalition at White House Rally to Fight the Mountain Valley Pipeline
June 8 hundreds of protesters rallied at the White House with signs and chants calling for stopping the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) under construction in Virginia and West
Virginia. The week before, Congress passed its debt ceiling bill and fast-tracked approval of the fracked gas pipeline in a deal to obtain votes to pass the bill. Watch this People vs. Fossil Fuels 2 minute video capture of the crowd and speaker clips.
Thank you to former Virginia Chapter Sierra Club organizer Jessica Sims, now with Appalachian Voices, for her organizing skill for the Lobby Day and Rally. If the MVP is put into service the greenhouse gas emissions may be equivalent to 19 million passenger vehicles, 23 coal plants and account for 1 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions from the US energy industry. It is also likely to leak methane, a potent accelerator of climate change.
Sierra Club Great Falls Group volunteers Susan Bonney and Natalie Pien attended.
Photo credit Eman Mohammed I Survived Media Agency
Sierra Club volunteers and staffers rallied to #StopMVP. Front row (L to R) is Camila Rojas, Mahyar Sorour, Morgan Caplan. Back row (L to R) Susan Bonney (Great Falls Group), Karen Yarnell (West Virginia chapter), Bob Bingaman, Patrick Grenter, Elly Benson
Sierrans Rally at Senator Warner’s Vienna Office: Demanding Removal of MVP from the Debt Ceiling Bill!
Great Falls Group, Loudoun Climate Partnership and partner groups rallied June 1 at Senator Mark Warner's Vienna office calling on him to support removing the Mountain Valley Pipeline from the debt ceiling negotiations. In Richmond, Norfolk, and Roanoke, Sierra Club members and partners held simultaneous rallies at Warner’s offices.
After the rally, environmental leaders (including GFG Chair Susan Bonney) met with his staff. Senator Warner voted to support Senator Tim Kaine’s amendment removing the MVP from the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The amendment did not pass. Congress and the Senate ratified the Fiscal Responsibility Act including loosened permitting restrictions that will result in completion of the MVP pipeline by requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue permits and prohibiting judicial review. Take the calls to action in this toolkit including tweets to share and scripts for calls. Sample tweet:
@FERC @FERC_OPP @PHMSA_DOT Mountain Valley Pipeline’s pipes have been in direct sunlight for years, degrading the coating + making them even less safe. Please require off-site re-coating before construction resumes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhNb9osZHnE
Loudoun Climate Project organized the Vienna rally. The leaders who met with Senator Warner’s staff and delivered a group letter opposing MVP included Lisa Finn (Third Act, VA), Stephen Spitz (Progressive Democrats of America) and Maury Johnson (Protect Our Water and Heritage Rights). #StopMVP
Natalie Pien Wins FACS Award
After rallying on the June 8 Biden, #NoMVP rally in D.C., I attended the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions 2023 Sustainability Champions Award ceremony. I was honored and humbled to receive one of the Individual Sustainability Champions awards. I started the journey to reach the awards stage many decades ago. In high school, I read Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Its message about the harm human beings inflict on Nature stayed with me. But, the seed of environmentalism didn't germinate until much later in life.
I share my award with all the people who have mentored and worked with me along the way. Many of them attended the ceremony, including two young children, Kelsie and Aidan, whom I have come to know through climate activism with their mother.
Natalie Pien receives her Sustainability Champion award from FACS Executive Director Andrea McGimsey
Photo credit David Kepley
(Young Kelsie joined my Polar Plunge Team, raising funds to fight climate change!). Without the intellectual, emotional, and social support from people in my past and present, I would not be a Sustainability Champion today. I am deeply grateful to all of them to help me become my true self.
Delegate Rip Sullivan earned the FACS Sustainability Champion award in the state elected officials category. He authored and led the fight to pass the historic Virginia Clean Economy Act. The VCEA made Virginia the first southern state to chart a course to reduce carbon emissions to zero. Rip also helped lead Virginia’ dramatic strides in wind, solar, and energy efficiency, transforming Virginia to a leader in combating climate change.
Delegate Rip Sullivan receives his Sustainability Champion award from FACS Executive Director Andrea McGimsey
Photo credit David Kepley
Volunteering is good for the environment!
We have new opportunities for volunteers in the Sierra Club Great Falls Group. See nine ideas here to find some that are a fit for you. Local volunteering for the environment helps you and your community by:
Cutting down on emissions by traveling close to home
Giving you a sense of belonging in your own community
Opening you socially to more people in your area
Supporting local projects and people
Teaching you more about your community and other ways to help.
The personal connections you can gain from volunteering locally canopen you up to a wide range of advantages.
Not only will you make new friends but you’ll also be able to develop relationships in the long-term for as long as you live in the area.
You learn more about what’s going on in your area, like events, groups and clubs, and more.
For the GFG weekly environmental events email, join thelistserv here and select subscribe (or unsubscribe).
The MeetUp group for Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO) is a special activities section of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. The group organizes hikes and other events in Virginia, DC and Maryland. No Sierra Club membership is necessary to participate. SCPRO welcomes all people on a variety of outdoor adventures, nature walks, conservation outings, and exploration of our natural and regional history. Join SCPRO MeetUp here
Power for the People Virginia
A recent post from Ivy Main's blog on energy-related matters in Virginia.
