Advocates to rally against ongoing attempt to withdraw Virginia from RGGI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2022

CONTACT
Jessica Sims, Appalachian Voices, (804) 356-1228, Jessica@appvoices.org
Emily Piontek, Appalachian Voices, (314) 562-2341, emily@appvoices.org

Henrico, VA – On Wednesday, December 7, advocates in Henrico will rally in advance of the meeting of the State Air Pollution Control Board that morning. The citizen board will discuss the regulatory process currently underway to withdraw Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. RGGI has brought substantial financial and environmental benefits to Virginia since the state entered the program two years ago.

Under the direction of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the state Department of Environmental Quality has taken regulatory action to stop Virginia’s participation in RGGI. In August, the department issued a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action and opened a public comment period. Almost 850 comments were submitted by members of the public, which were overwhelmingly opposed to the governor’s plan and supportive of continuing to participate in the regional carbon market. Since 2020, RGGI has made hundreds of millions of dollars of critical funding available to communities across the commonwealth, funds which support low-income energy efficiency programs and flood resilience infrastructure.

“Gov. Youngkin’s on-going attempt to withdraw Virginia from RGGI via regulatory action is unlawful,” said Emily Piontek, Appalachian Voices. “Moreover, the governor’s actions are blind to the very real benefits this program is delivering to communities in need, and blind to the widespread support for RGGI that the public has repeatedly shown. RGGI is helping Virginia proactively respond to the climate crisis, including by helping those most impacted by it. This would be much harder to do if Virginia did not receive the critical funding RGGI supplies.”

When: Wednesday, December 7, at 9:30 a.m.
Where: 1651 East Parham Rd., Henrico, Virginia