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
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10/18/22  2:42 pm
Commenter: Stair Z Calhoun

I oppose the repeal of RGGI
 
I oppose the repeal which is unlawful as the 2020 law mandates that Virginia participate in RGGI. Gov Youngkin can’t just brush aside the laws it disagrees with. The data is clear: RGGI reduces emissions. Even the current administration admitted as much in a recent report, concluding that RGGI “has a long track record of emission reductions since the beginning of the program.” 
Virginia needs RGGI. Without RGGI, Virginia’s emissions have not declined over the last decade and Virginia will not be able to achieve carbon free power by 2050
as set forth in the Virginia Clean Economy Act. RGGI improves public health. Decreased air pollution means fewer asthma attacks, premature births, and missed days of school and work. In just 10 years, participating states realized $5.7 billion in public health benefits thanks to RGGI. Virginians are benefitting now with funds to provide safe, affordable and energy-efficient homes to low-income and to localities to plan for and prevent recurrent flooding.
Let's fix the utility code. Dominion’s bills are high because the monopoly utility has been allowed to rewrite the utility code in its favor, while over investing in risky fossil fuel power plants.
CommentID: 190561