The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia urges the DEQ to address the urgent problem of climate change by drafting the strongest possible rules to reduce carbon pollution from electric power plants.

Climate change already poses serious public health risks. In Northern Virginia, hotter summers make it more difficult to meet air quality standards. Our area is also vulnerable to vector-borne diseases,
particularly Lyme Disease. While Northern Virginia is less vulnerable to sea-level rise than Norfolk, we also face increased risks of flooding along the tidal Potomac and an increase in the number and
intensity of extreme weather events, like the Derecho in 2012.  Extreme weather events also threaten our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, adding to the cost of public service for individuals, businesses and government.

As shown by the shifting peak bloom date of the iconic cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., climate change is also disrupting ecosystems in Northern Virginia, putting pressure on
migratory birds, whose reproduction is closely linked to the timing of spring.  Climate change can cause a mismatch in the timing of food supplies and the birds and other wildlife that depend on them.  The National Audubon Society’s 2014 report concluded that global warming is the greatest threat to birds and other wildlife, that global warming’s impacts could lead to the loss of one-quarter to one-third of all species on Earth, including many bird species.  See http://www.audubon.org/conservation/climate-change.

Continued carbon emissions from power plants will magnify these risks. We urge DEQ to draft stringent, science-based emission caps that move the state toward greater use of cleaner, renewable energy sources.

Strong carbon caps can provide economic benefits by encouraging more investments in wind,
solar and energy efficiency, allowing Virginia to become an active
participant in the transition to a clean energy economy.