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. 

The fact that a pipeline is being proposed is ludicrous to me. The dangers of fossil fuels impact on waterways and global climate are well documented. We have the technology to invest in sustainable energy instead of a dying industry attempting to squeeze every last cent of profit they can at the expense of the health and safety of our global climate, local ecosystems, and every person in the path of these pipelines.