Recent flooding in southwest Virginia is reopening debate about Virginia's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Last year, Virginia joined 10 other states as a member of the initiative, known as RGGI. The idea is that polluters buy permits, and the money goes toward things like preparing for floods.
Dipping into that fund might be a way to help people in Buchanan County after the recent historic flooding there. But Walton Shepherd at the Natural Resources Defense Council isn’t so sure.
"The RGGI funding is slated for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund," Shepherd says. "So, let's get ready for these extreme weather events that we know are coming, for the sea-level rise that is already occurring and mitigate that beforehand."
The idea that spending RGGI money should be used for disaster preparedness as opposed to disaster relief is a view held by supporters and opponents of Virginia's participation in the interstate compact.
"Shockingly, I agree with them," says Stephen Haner at the Thomas Jefferson Institute, a fierce critic of RGGI.
"It was sold to us, and of course I never bought it, but for the people who did buy it, it was sold to them as some of the money was going to go to energy efficiency for low-income," Haner says. "And some of the money was to build a fund to protect against flooding, and there's no question there is some level of sea-level rise. So, if you're going to tax people, that's a logical way to spend the money."
Governor Glenn Youngkin wants to leave RGGI, but members of the General Assembly blocked his efforts to exit, at least so far.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
