As a Virginian, I urge our Commonwealth's government not to withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Virginia's communities and local economies, including my own in Alexandria, are especially vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate, due to the considerable populations and businesses who stand to lose from climate impacts along Virginia's  extensive coastlines and rivers. Communities throughout Virginia, cutting across political and cultural demographics are seeing the impacts of climate change on a daily basis.

At this critical time, states and regions needs to take sensible action to avoid further damage. RGGI's market-based, fiscally conservative, regional approach stands out as a remarkably successful state-driven measure that actually works to reduce climate-warming air pollution without strangling business and innovation. The Commonwealth's political leaders should take support it as an example of what states can do without the need for heavy-handed federal intervention.

Withdrawing from RGGI now would cede decades of bipartisan state-based progress and would justify additional federal regulation - the opposite outcome Virginia's leader should want. Honor these collective states' agreement and commitments. Stay in RGGI - for the good of Virginia and for the good of our Common Wealth!