As Virginians, we appreciate the initiative taken by Governor McAuliffe, but we know our work does not stop here. We request that the Department of Environmental Quality use its authority to: 

1. Create a rule — based on the strongest available science — that significantly reduces carbon pollution from Virginia’s power plants. 
2. Ensure that Virginians — not utilities — benefit from any profits from carbon regulations. 
3. Address the disproportionate environmental effects experienced by our most vulnerable communities. 
4. Reduce carbon pollution by incentivizing investments in zero-carbon solar, wind and energy efficiency. 

Please also remember that natural gas contributes to climate change, perhaps as much as coal does. Cutting down old growth forest to build pipelines encourages the use and drilling of natural gas while at the same time removing an important climate sink.