March 16, 2022| March 16, 2022
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Governor Glenn Youngkin released this week a report prepared by Virginias Department of Environmental Quality on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This report is in sharp contrast to previous DEQ reports about RGGI.
Governor Youngkin directed DEQ in Executive Order 9 to start the process of ending Virginia’s participation in RGGI, and requested the report in an apparent attempt to support the move.
Although Governors March 15th press release called RGGI a bad deal the actual data in this report show that RGGI works well, and Virginia needs to implement an emissions reduction program.
Nate Benforado is a senior attorney in our Charlottesville Office. He reiterated the data proving that RGGI is actually good for Virginia. Take, for example:
- The report shows that Virginia’s emissions have remained relatively constant over the past decade (p 14), while RGGI states saw their emission drop by 30% (Figure 8,).
- Even though Virginia is not expected to meet the VCEA climate goals or 2045 net zero carbon emissions goals, the report acknowledges this (p 14).
These conclusions are not consistent with the data. Benforado stated that, despite the Governor’s attempts to ignore the need of RGGI and to deny its necessity, the report actually confirms its need. He says that the report seems to be biased and not to provide objective information. The agency has maintained in the past that cap-and-trade programs like RGGI are a cost effective and proven way to reduce carbon emissions. Let’s get to work if Governor Youngkin is concerned that Dominion will be more incentivised to reduce its carbon emissions. However, repealing RGGI does not solve the long-standing problem that Dominion is charging its customers excessively for compliance with RGGI. This applies to many projects as well as RGGI compliance. The repeal of RGGI does not help monopoly utilities or the fossil fuel sector, but it does help them pollute Virginia’s air.