The Southern Environmental Law Center is challenging the move by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multi-state compact that has held energy costs for consumers in its member states in line as costs have risen sharply in the rest of the country.
The SELC has served the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality a notice of appeal challenging Virginia’s removal from RGGI on behalf of Appalachian Voices, the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, and Virginia Interfaith Power and Light.
In the notice, the groups informed the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board and Virginia DEQ that they will challenge the action by Youngkin to remove Virginia from the RGGI in Fairfax Circuit Court.
“There are still serious questions as to whether the Air Board actually has the authority to pull the state out of RGGI,” SELC Senior Attorney Nate Benforado said. “Throughout this process, the administration has ignored the thousands of Virginians who have steadfastly opposed this misguided process.
“While it is sad to see it come to this, Virginians deserve to see a fair process decide whether their communities continue to benefit from participation in RGGI,” Benforado said.
Virginia joined RGGI in 2021 under Youngkin’s predecessor, Ralph Northam, a Democrat, after the Virginia General Assembly passed a 2020 law to require the state’s participation in the pact.
Youngkin, a Republican, grasping for reason to justify pulling Virginia from the RGGI, has blamed high electricity costs, but both Dominion and Appalachian Power cited spikes in the cost of natural gas, which supplies more than half of Virginia’s electricity, for price increases to their customers in 2022.
“Amid what scientists predict to be the hottest month ever recorded, Gov. Youngkin pressed ahead with his backwards and harmful effort to end Virginia’s successful climate program,” said Mandy Warner, Virginia director for Environmental Defense Fund, noting that the RGGI has generated more than half a billion dollars in investments for energy efficiency upgrades and flood risk reduction projects in Virginia communities in the past two years.
“Power companies’ pollution has real, significant costs, and it is unfair for polluters to continue to be allowed to shift the costs to Virginians,” Warner said. “Youngkin’s climate rollback will undermine Virginia’s progress towards zero carbon emissions in the electricity grid, jeopardize clean energy investments and job creation while supporting power companies’ imprudent, continued investment in polluting fossil fuel technology.
“As RGGI reduces the reliance on fossil fuels, it can also reduce consumers’ risk from swings in volatile fuel prices that have generated sudden spikes in utility bills for consumers. Virginia was on track to lead the clean energy economy. Why is Gov. Youngkin moving us backwards?” Warner said.
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Chris Graham
