Virginia first entered the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2020, and it’s added over $800 million to state efforts to combat climate change. While Governor Glenn Youngkin has tried to pull the state out of the agreement, Democrats said Tuesday they managed to still achieve some environmental wins despite RGGI cuts.
Delegate Alfonso Lopez said the Democratic legislature got $231 million for environmental management for farms. That included $20 million for new pollution reduction projects. Then there’s $400 million in bonds for updating sewage treatment plants.
“Which are essential to continuing progress in reducing phosphorus and sediment pollution to help us stay on track to meet goals from the EPA and remediate the Chesapeake Bay,” Lopez said.
Lopez also praised a new state monitoring and regulating program for the release of PFAS, so-called forever chemicals. There were efforts empowering localities to preserve or restore trees destroyed by construction, $11 million for oyster restoration, additional funds for the Blue Catfish industry, expanded invasive species management programs, and a ban on a toxic asphalt sealant.
“We did a lot of good in terms of the environment despite what felt like constant pushback from this governor,” said the Arlington-area Democrat.
Still, the future of RGGI hung over Tuesday morning’s news conference with Delegate Rip Sullivan noting the fight was far from over.
“No matter what happens, my colleagues and I will not rest until Virginia is fully participating in RGGI again and receiving its full benefits,” Sullivan said.
Youngkin has long called the nearly $5 monthly fee charged to Virginians by the state's power companies to be part of RGGI a tax. He pulled the state out of the program as a promise to reduce taxes.
"Governor Youngkin is working to lower the cost of living for Virginians to move Virginia forward with an all-of-the-above approach to energy to further the Commonwealth’s access to a reliable, affordable, clean, and growing supply of power," said Youngkin spokesperson Christian Martinez.
A lawsuit challenging Youngkin’s withdrawal from RGGI is still playing out in Floyd County though a timeline for resolution is not clear.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
