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Outside of PJM’s annual meeting, speakers called out grid mismanagement, rising electricity costs, and failure to bring cheaper clean energy online

 

BALTIMORE, MD — PJM Interconnection (PJM), the regional grid operator for Maryland and a dozen other states, is holding its annual conference at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront from May 11 to 13. State lawmakers and advocates held a press conference today on the sidewalk outside the hotel to call out PJM’s mismanagement of the grid, which has led directly to surging energy prices. 

“Maryland families are already seeing higher electric bills, driven in part by rapid growth in energy-hungry data centers. Ratepayers shouldn’t have to compete with global corporations for power,” said Senator Katie Fry Hester (D-Maryland). 

“Pennsylvania produces the energy that powers much of the PJM region, yet our residents should not be asked to subsidize the explosive growth of private data centers,” said Rep. Danielle Otten (D-Pennsylvania). “We need fairness and accountability — making sure new industrial demand brings new supply with it. Protecting reliability while keeping electricity affordable is essential for our households, our manufacturers, and our economic future.” 

“Clean energy is chomping at the bit to lower energy bills, but PJM is artificially slowing clean energy from coming onto the grid in order to benefit fossil fuel interests,” said Delegate Lorig Charkoudian (D-Maryland).  

“PJM needs to more swiftly and efficiently greenlight clean energy projects and hold data centers responsible for paying for their own energy needs instead of further burdening already stretched ratepayers,” said Senator Shelly Hettleman (D-Maryland) 

PJM’s policies are delaying lower-cost clean energy projects while keeping more expensive power sources on the system – contributing to higher electricity bills across the region. A recent analysis found that if PJM were to allow more clean energy to connect to the grid, it would save each of its customers $500 a year in reduced energy bills. Advocates shared recent cost savings from clean energy in other regions, such as Massachusetts’ recent announcement that residents are saving $1.4 billion over the next 20 years with the completion of the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project. Meanwhile, PJM is forcing ratepayers to pay coal plants just south of Baltimore hundreds of millions of dollars to stay open, when cleaner alternatives would be less expensive. 

“PJM is failing us not by accident, but by design. It has been co-opted by fossil fuel energy generators and utilities and is quickly being overtaken by Big Tech and their data center companies as well. All the while, PJM’s members have been raking in massive revenues due to energy market dysfunction. PJM won’t help energy bills decrease until there is meaningful governance reform within PJM. And, they missed an opportunity by selecting their Board Chair and interim President as their new President and CEO just last month,” said Jake Schwartz, Federal Campaigns Manager for Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

“If PJM were truly focused on lowering soaring energy bills, the solution would be clear: invest in clean energy. Instead, PJM continues to prioritize energy sources that are neither clean nor affordable, while Marylanders face growing pressure from rising utility, fuel, and healthcare costs. It’s time for PJM to listen to its customers and deliver the reliable, affordable clean energy Maryland families deserve,” said Rebecca Rehr, Director of Climate Policy & Justice for Maryland LCV.  

Find a recording of today’s press conference here.

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As extreme weather worsens, FEMA Review Council recommendations weaken federal disaster response and shift costs to states

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The Trump Administration’s FEMA Review Council released yesterday its final report of recommendations to overhaul FEMA. These recommendations, which include privatizing the National Flood Insurance Program, increasing qualifying thresholds for disaster aid, and responding to fewer major disasters, leave states, localities, and tribal governments to navigate climate-fueled catastrophes with fewer federal resources.  

FEMA is the backbone of the nation’s disaster response system. As the climate crisis drives more frequent, unpredictable, and destructive disasters, the need for preparation and response from all levels of government and vulnerable communities has never been greater. At this critical moment, communities need lawmakers to strengthen FEMA’s capacity to prepare and respond to emergencies, not weaken or restrict the very resources that save lives and help communities recover. 

Gabrielle Walton, the Federal Campaigns Coordinator at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, issued the following statement: 

“The FEMA Review Council’s proposed changes fail to offer the needed certainty that the government will provide aid when Americans need it most.  As drought grips the county, hurricane season approaches, and the climate crisis worsens, extreme weather events, communities need a government that commits to enhancing safety and preparedness, not one that proposes restricting access to critical, life-saving resources. The Council’s proposed reforms would leave states, localities, and disaster survivors with less funding and fewer resources to prevent, mitigate, and respond to disasters. Congress must take the lead in creating comprehensive FEMA reforms that will protect our communities as the climate crisis worsens.”

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC and beyond.

The post Trump’s FEMA Reform Proposal Would Leave Communities to Face Climate Disasters Alone appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Maryland Public Service Commission asked staff to conduct further analysis despite evidence that ending gas line extension allowances would provide $1 billion in savings to gas customers over next decade

 

BALTIMORE, MD —The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) today delayed finalizing regulations to end gas line extension allowances (LEAs), preventing gas customers from having to pay for the expansion of the gas system to new homes and businesses. When finalized, the new rules are expected to save Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) and Washington Gas Light (WGL) customers nearly $1 billion in the next decade. The Commission asked staff to conduct further analysis, with an unclear timeline for when the Commission will make a decision, adding to advocates’ concern that regulator delays from the PSC are putting customer savings at risk.

“The analysis is already in: allowing gas utilities to pass on the cost of new gas lines to their existing customers unfairly drives up energy bills and locks us into polluting fossil fuels for decades to come. Maryland gas customers shouldn’t have to wait a day longer for regulators to take action to address rapidly rising gas delivery rates,” said Emily Scarr, Senior Adviser at Maryland PIRG Foundation. “Whether it’s finalizing rules to save customers $1 billion or ending multi-year ratemaking, the Commission is creating a habit of unnecessary delays that harm customers and benefit utilities.”

Under the draft regulations, new customers and developers can still choose to connect to the gas system, but will be responsible for the cost of doing so. The hearing comes just weeks after the Maryland General Assembly rejected attempts by housing developers and gas utilities to prevent the PSC from finalizing rules to end LEAs.

“Today’s decision by the Public Service Commission is disappointing and continues to place burdens on front-line communities and Marylanders already struggling to pay costly energy bills,” said Sari Amiel, Staff Attorney at Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program. “Ongoing reliance on costly gas infrastructure impacts our health and financial well-being, while utility companies reach record profits. We will continue advocating for the state to move away from reliance on fossil fuels and towards more affordable and efficient clean energy.”

Initially petitioned for by the Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC), the rulemaking is the first to come from the “future of gas” proceeding, a venue for short and long-term gas planning. The proceeding aims to protect customers from skyrocketing costs by smoothing the transition away from gas heat and appliances and the outsized infrastructure costs that come with it. 

“Seeing the commission delay such an important consumer protection at the 11th hour is exceedingly disappointing. Gas utilities use line extension allowances to boost their profits while locking in decades of pollution and costs,” said Bryan Dunning, Senior Policy Analyst at Center for Progressive Reform. “Each day we delay, utilities are incentivised to further build out the gas system, undermining state climate goals.” 

For decades, existing gas customers have covered some or all of the costs to extend gas lines to new customers, driving up delivery rates and adding to utility profits over a decades-long payback period. Connecting a home to the methane gas system hooks it onto fossil fuels for years, contributing to climate pollution in the state and creating new risks for deadly explosions.

“Maryland gas customers shouldn’t be incentivising housing developers to build housing with dual fuel sources, when electric heating is safer, cleaner, and more affordable for renters,” said Monica O’Connor of Grassroots Maryland Legislative Coalition’s Climate Justice Wing. “Today’s decision by the PSC to delay the end of incentives for new gas lines not only fails to align regulatory policy with fiscal prudency, but sets back our state climate goals.”

In 2025 alone, BGE planned to spend $103.5 million on gas pipeline expansion, costing customers $397 million, while Washington Gas Light (WGL) planned to spend $56.25 million, costing customers $238 million.  Utility spending on gas pipelines has caused energy bills to rise in Maryland. Since 2010, Baltimore Gas & Electric and Columbia Gas customers have seen their delivery rates more than triple, far outpacing the rate of inflation, due to excessive gas utility spending. This rise in delivery costs is why BGE gas customers now pay $2 to BGE for delivery for every $1 they spend on gas. A recent analysis found that gas delivery charges account for more than 60% of the average Maryland customer’s gas bill.

“We’re very frustrated to see the Commission needlessly delay a clear action to align state climate goals, consumer protections, and lower gas ratepayer costs,” said Brittany Baker, Maryland Director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “We need strong leadership from the PSC to act in the best interest of ratepayers and transition Maryland off the gas distribution system. Today, they missed the mark.”

The Upgrade Maryland campaign is calling on the PSC to swiftly finalize regulations to end LEAs, both to protect customers from the rising costs of the gas system and to ensure utility regulation is in line with state climate policy.

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC and beyond.

The post Advocates Warn Utility Regulators’ Decision to Delay Puts Customer Savings at Risk appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

By Olivia Bahena Sahagún, Federal Carol Brantley Climate Justice Fellow, Chesapeake Climate Action Network

In July 1995, Chicago endured one of the deadliest climate disasters in U.S. history. A heatwave pushed temperatures above 100°F and heat index values to 115°F, causing more than 700 heat-related deaths. What made this heatwave so deadly for certain communities was not just the temperature, but poor housing infrastructure, weak emergency response, and social inequality. Thirty years later, as climate change increases extreme heat in cities, the lessons from 1995 are still relevant today. This disaster demonstrated that extreme heat is not just a weather problem; it is a policy failure shaped by infrastructure, governance, and social inequality.

Climate change is now making heat policy more urgent, as the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events are increasing, and heatwaves like 1995 are no longer rare events. Without addressing climate change, we cannot protect our communities from extreme heat. President Trump’s recent proposed budget cuts to the EPA, NOAA, and FEMA only threaten to undercut efforts to keep Americans safe from extreme heat. A decrease in funding for climate and environmental programs will limit localities’ ability to prepare for future heat events and properly adapt to climate change. Without sustained investment in climate resilience, the same structural inequalities that made the 1995 heatwave so deadly will continue to put lives at risk.

The Legacy of Redlining Lives On: Systemic Inequalities Increase Risk to Extreme Heat

Urban infrastructure played a major role in determining which Chicago communities felt the biggest impact of the heatwave and which didn’t. Predominantly low-income, Black neighborhoods had and still have fewer trees and more pavement than other areas, which intensifies heat. Many residents in those neighborhoods also did not have AC units or could not afford to use them. A New England Journal of Medicine study found that half of the deaths could have been prevented with a working AC in each home. These conditions demonstrated how unequal infrastructure directly shaped who faced the greatest risk.

These infrastructure disparities are rooted in Chicago’s history of redlining, a practice that denied loans and investments to communities of color and left them in hotter, less resilient neighborhoods. Through this racist housing practice, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation made the city extremely segregated, and this legal segregation has led to the urban infrastructure and housing issues that caused low-income, Black communities to feel the worst of the 1995 heatwave. 

Social isolation was also a determining factor in whether residents survived the heatwave. A 1996 study found that living alone doubled the risk of death during the heat and that those who died from heat-related deaths were less likely to leave home frequently or have friends in Chicago. Without strong social networks, victims of extreme heat who lived alone, especially the elderly, could remain unnoticed for long periods of time, not receiving immediate medical attention needed to possibly save their lives.

Beyond Chicago: How Patterns of Inequities Create Urban Heat Islands 

This pattern is not unique to Chicago. Cities like Washington, D.C. show the same inequities, where historically underinvested neighborhoods become urban heat islands, metropolitan areas significantly hotter than surrounding areas. These similarities show that the 1995 heatwave isn’t an isolated event caused by one-time failures, but part of a larger national pattern of unequal climate vulnerability, which is why a stronger federal response is needed. 

Chicago improved its heat response after 1995, but these changes focused mostly on emergency management. During a 1999 heatwave, the city issued more warnings and press releases, opened cooling centers, and sent police to check on vulnerable residents. Today, Chicago has a very extensive extreme heat emergency plan. However, improved emergency planning does not address the structural issues that create risk in the first place.

The federal government has also responded more seriously to heat since 1995. In 2015, NOAA and the CDC launched the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) to support heat resilience in the U.S.

In 2022, the NIHHIS created the Heat.gov website to educate the public and decision-makers on reducing heat risk. Additionally, the EPA has also increased attention and public awareness of heat. Today, heat is recognized as a public health issue.

The Path Forward: Recognize Extreme Heat as a Major Disaster

Despite greater awareness, the underlying inequities that make heat deadly have not been solved. Extreme heat waves are often viewed as temporary weather emergencies, rather than long-term infrastructure problems. FEMA can change that by recognizing extreme heat as a major disaster, just like floods or tornadoes, and ensuring cities are prepared for heatwaves. FEMA could then provide funding for cooling centers, AC installations, housing improvements, and expanded tree canopy, all of which would protect vulnerable communities.

The 1995 Chicago heatwave revealed that when extreme temperatures intersect with poor housing, segregation, and weak preparedness, the outcome is deadly for vulnerable communities. Although some cities now have stronger emergency response programs, many underlying structural inequalities remain. As climate change increases the frequency of extreme heat, a federal policy response is needed to make cities resilient and adaptable to extreme heat. FEMA must recognize heat as a major disaster so that localities can receive support with immediate danger and the deeper inequities that make heat so dangerous; it’s how we save lives in a hotter, more unequal world.

As we face more frequent and severe climate disasters, it’s clear that our federal systems must be ready for every kind of extreme weather event. With recent winter extreme weather disasters and hurricane season quickly approaching, there is uncertainty about whether FEMA will deliver aid when communities need it most. Tell your member of Congress to pass the FEMA Act of 2025 to strengthen and reform FEMA. Urge them to make sure FEMA is fully staffed, funded, and prepared to respond to ongoing and future climate disasters.

Tell Your Representative to Pass the FEMA Act of 2025

About the author: Olivia Bahena Sahagún (she/her) is the Federal Carol Brantley Climate Justice Fellow for spring 2026. In her role, she supports the Federal team by assisting their campaigns to advance impactful climate policy. She is currently a student at Wake Forest University where she is working to receive a bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Affairs.

Olivia’s passion for the environment began at a young age, shaped by her grandma, who passed down her deep care for animals and the planet. She hopes to pursue a career in environmental policy and work to advocate for a sustainable future. In her free time, Olivia enjoys thrifting, going on walks, and spending time with her cat Pancho.

The post Why Chicago’s 1995 Heatwave Was More than a Weather Disaster appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

More than 60 Maryland environmental and community groups sign letter opposing the Moore administration’s apparent plan to facilitate construction of a massive gas power plant and gas pipeline to power data centers owned by cryptocurrency company.

 

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Fearing a tidal wave of climate pollution and profound disruptions to Charles County communities and natural resources, more than 60 organizations from across Maryland sent a letter Monday to Governor Wes Moore asking him to drop his apparent interest in supporting a massive data center project along the Potomac River in Charles County. 

In the letter, the groups – including the Maryland Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and dozens of faith, justice and community-based groups — are calling on Moore “to immediately stop all special support and assistance your administration is giving to plans to convert the Morgantown Generating Station into a one gigawatt methane gas power plant along the Potomac River in Charles County, MD.”

The project would require a minimum of 20 miles of new gas pipeline and would represent hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars of investments in new fossil fuel infrastructure. TeraWulf, the cryptocurrency mining company behind the project, is counting on the Moore administration’s support to shepherd the project through an expedited environmental review process so that the electricity generated from the plant could power nearby data center operations. 

The group American Rivers just named the Potomac River the “most endangered river in America,” largely due to existing and proposed data centers in the river’s watershed. The energy use alone for the Charles County project would be equal to all the electricity used by the city of Baltimore. 

Many of the signatory groups have pledged to stop the power plant from ever being built. 

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

The post Outpouring of Maryland Nonprofit Groups Tell Gov. Wes Moore to Drop All Support for Mega-Polluting Data Center in Charles County appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.