Today’s Guest Column
Virginia-based Dominion Resources has proposed expanding its current liquefied natural gas facility at Cove Point in Calvert County to allow for exports as well. This new $3.8 billion facility would trigger more greenhouse gas emissions than any other source of climate pollution in this state, according to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
Approving such an expansion would only worsen our dependence on unsustainable, nonrenewable resources. The building of a new export facility puts the Chesapeake economy and ecosystem further at risk — exporting gas at Cove Point would increase the traffic of massive tankers by 549 percent. It would also put thousands throughout the region at risk, requiring expansions to existing pipeline infrastructure that already is prone to leaks and ruptures that can cause fires and explosions.
In November, the Student Government Association signaled its opposition to Cove Point by passing a resolution to officially “sign on as a member of the coalition against the expansion of the Dominion Resources’ Cove Point facility.” Just this past week, SGA, along with over 20 other environmental, health, community and faith groups, signed a letter addressed to Thomas Farrell, Dominion Resources CEO, asking him to explain the measures that would be taken to ensure the safety of Cove Point residents.
The campaign is not just a concern to the citizens; government officials also are beginning to oppose and question the expansion. Gubernatorial candidate Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery), has declared “there are better alternatives that would create more jobs while supporting our growing clean energy industry.” The Cove Point export facility, she maintains, would contradict the state’s plan for a 25 percent reduction of greenhouse gases by 2020. She instead called on Dominion Resources to invest the estimated $3.8 billion cost in renewable energy, which could increase the East Coast’s installed wind capacity by 50 percent and create more than 7,500 jobs. Attorney General Doug Gansler also expressed his concerns for the “potential significant adverse environmental impacts” the proposed expansion could have. He has called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to complete a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement for the facility, a move adamantly opposed by Dominion Resources.
The decision regarding Cove Point is one of the defining moments for our state’s future. The state is at a crossroads. Will we continue to exploit the environment and live off the unsustainable practices that we refuse to let go? Or will we move forward to a healthy and sustainable future in which we depend less on nonrenewable fossil fuels and live with the environment, not against it? Now is the time to decide. Our voices as students — as the future of this state and this country — must be heard. And tomorrow, we’ll have the chance to stand up and speak out.
Tomorrow, the Maryland Public Service Commission will hear the verbal arguments from Dominion Resources as to why they should receive critical permits that they need to begin construction on the $3.8 billion export facility. Residents from all across this state are taking advantage of the opportunity to speak out against this facility by rallying outside the building and marching in the streets of Baltimore. The goal is to make this the biggest rally in the history of Baltimore by getting 1,000 people to attend and shutting down the city in the name of a clean energy future, for nearly two hours.
We hope to see you there.
A bus of students from College Park will be leaving to attend the rally. If you’re interested in attending, please email SGA Sustainability Director Ori Gutin at omgutin@gmail.com.
Steve Chen is the SGA Sustainability Committee communications director and can be reached at stchen17@gmail.com.
