Virginia Democrats insert RGGI provision into proposed 2024-2026 state budget

Virginia Democrats are pushing back against Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s shortsighted move to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Democrats inserted a provision into the 2024-2026 state budget that would require Virginia to rejoin the RGGI, a multi-state compact that aims to reduce carbon pollution in the member states.

Virginia joined RGGI in 2021 under Youngkin’s predecessor, Ralph Northam, a Democrat, after the General Assembly passed a 2020 law to require the state’s participation in the pact.

Youngkin, a Republican, grasping for reasons to justify pulling Virginia from the RGGI, 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.

Virginia dropped out of the RGGI on Dec. 31 after the Air Pollution Control Board voted to repeal the regulation earlier in 2023.

That move is subject to a pending lawsuit filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of its client, the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals.

“We are so happy to see the General Assembly stand up for this critical program,” said Nate Benforado, a senior attorney at SELC. “For three years RGGI has been delivering results for Virginians. We’ve seen a 22 percent reduction in carbon pollution, meaning Virginians have cleaner air to breathe, and our participation in RGGI has also provided steady investments that are helping low-income households slash energy bills and localities combat flooding. This language would get us back into RGGI without delay, so that Virginians can continue to benefit from this highly successful program.”