Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
 
Board
Air Pollution Control Board
 
chapter
Regulation for Emissions Trading [9 VAC 5 ‑ 140]
Action Repeal CO 2 Budget Trading Program as required by Executive Order 9 (Revision A22)
Stage NOIRA
Comment Period Ended on 10/26/2022
spacer
Previous Comment     Next Comment     Back to List of Comments
10/26/22  8:23 pm
Commenter: Nancy Najarian

Do Not Withdraw Virginia from RGGI
 

Please do not withdraw the Commonwealth of Virginia from participating in RGGI. We all worked so hard to pass the VCEA and be a part of the country's and world's efforts to combat climate change. Without RGGI Virginia will not meet the 2050 goal of carbon free power that the VCEA includes. Participation in RGGI was mandated by law in 2020, and in the first year Virginia communities received over $228M from RGGI that they use to address climate changed induced floods. They can as well weatherize their homes, reducing energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). In addition, environmental justice is addressed through RGGI by reducing the harmful GHG and toxins into the air, affecting all Virginians but most significantly underserved communities who live nearer to power plants. A decrease in air pollution means fewer asthma attacks, fewer premature births, and fewer missed days of school and work. In fact states that have participated in RGGI have realized $5.7 billion in public health benefits. A very important issue for VA is to reform utility rates. Dominion and Appalachian Power rewrite the utility codes in their favor, and over-investing in fossil fuel power plants that are now becoming stranded assets. If the administration really cares about customer costs, it will abandon this unlawful attempt and instead support monopoly utility rate reforms. Reversing the course Virginia is on to increase renewable energy use, decrease reliance on fossil fuels, improve energy efficiency, and move to use of electric vehicles for residential and commercial use, are all necessary. Climate change is not going away, and the Youngkin Administration will be very mistaken to try to take us out of RGGI. Donald Trump was terribly misguided to try to take us out of the Paris Accord. I do not think Governor Youngkin wants a similar legacy. Thank you for considering my position.

CommentID: 201705