Hello.  My name is Natalie Pien.  I have lived in Leesburg, VA for over 35 years, raising my family and retiring from careers in environmental science and public primary education.  I am an ardent environmentalist and climate change activist.  I am writing to oppose withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, RGGI.  There are many reasons that Virginia must stay in RGGI. 

1. RGGI is law. 
2. RGGI is the only mechanism to reduce utility sector greenhouse gas emissions as mandated in the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
3. RGGI provides permanent and increasing funding to support weatherization programs for low income communities as well as programs to address flooding in the Tidewater area.
4. The VA DEQ reports that RGGI has received approximately $452 million in cumulative proceeds since its first auction in March 2021.
5. Emissions from RGGI states have declined by 59 percent between 2005 and 2020, demonstrating that RGGI does reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Virginia must stay in RGGI.