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 Final
Comment Period Ended on 8/30/2023
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8/29/23  12:46 pm
Commenter: Glen Besa

Oppose RGGI REPEAL- RGGI is LAW
 

This comment is NOT irrelevant.   In 2020, the General Assembly passed the Community Flood Preparedness Act that committed Virginia to joining RGGI, and to date, the General Assembly has not repealed that law.  That makes Governor Youngkin's withdrawal for RGGI illegal.  It is that simple. 

More complex is understanding the Governor's motivation for withdrawing from a successful RGGI program that is cutting carbon emissions and producing revenues to assist low income residents with efficiency improvements and local governments with flood abatement.  I assume the governor either denies climate change exists or that this is a crass political appeal to climate change deniers among the Republican base. Of course, it could be both.  

Regardless, RGGI is the LAW and DEQ, the Air Board and the Governor DO NOT have the authority to pull us out of RGGI. 

Sincerely, 

Glen Besa

 

CommentID: 219818