Dear Director Paylor and Members of the Air Pollution Control Board,

I am so encouraged and excited about aligning with RGGI to price and reduce carbon the Commonwealth.  It is a great step forward to create incentives to reduce carbon emissions and move toward a healthier environment.  A robust reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 from the power sector is a great beginning.  The carbon cap should be ambitious to spur further investment in the clean renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency.  This is something that Virginians want!

I fully support setting the strongest possible standard to cut carbon emissions from Virginia power plants in a carbon market. This is an important step toward reducing carbon pollution and improving the health of our land, air, water and people.

DEQ should adopt and implement a final rule that:

• Caps carbon pollution in the 2020 base year between 30 and 32 million tons. The draft rule proposes 33 or 34 million tons as a base year cap, but Virginia’s carbon emissions have been below 33 million tons each year since 2010. The rule should set a more ambitious cap that is still achievable.

• I encourage you to consider including carbon pollution from biomass facilities. I toured one of these facilities with the Garden Club of America and have concerns.

• Makes explicit that carbon pollution reductions will continue in Virginia beyond 2030.

• Closely monitors for instances of disproportionate burdens borne by low-income and vulnerable communities.

Thank you for your efforts to protect Virginia citizens and our natural resources.  And congratulations to Director Paylor on his reappointment!

Sincerely,
Carol Carter
Redlands Farm
Charlottesville VA