GHG Daily
1/22/2016
Two Virginia state legislators, Sen. Donald McEachin, (D-Henrico) and Del. Ronald Villanueva, (R-Virginia Beach), have introduced legislation calling for the Commonwealth of Virginia to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. “Not later than June 30, 2017, the Governor shall seek to include the Commonwealth as a full participant in RGGI or other carbon trading program with an open auction of carbon allowances,” the text of the bill says.
RGGI is a northeastern regional cap-and-trade program consisting of the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Under the new bill, money raised through the program in Virginia would go to programs to help deal with rising sea levels at the Virginia coast. and energy efficiency programs. “Trying to do the right thing by the environment is not a Democratic issue; it’s not a Republican issue. It’s something we should all be concerned about,” McEachin said, as reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The bill has been sent to committee.
