Ceres welcomes the decision from Virginia’s 27th Judicial Circuit Court finding that, under Commonwealth law, the state must participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
“When Virginia lawmakers voted to enter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2020, they did so because they recognized it would bring significant benefits to the Commonwealth’s economy,” said Anne Kelly, vice president of government relations, Ceres. “RGGI has a proven track record of encouraging cleaner and more innovative ways of delivering electricity while cutting pollution in communities. It also has already provided Virginia with over $800 million to protect communities from flooding and other dangerous impacts of climate change and expanding access to energy-saving measures that reduce costs and ensure reliable energy supplies. Businesses and investors see the clear financial and economic benefits of these policies, which is why they have supported RGGI’s adoption in Virginia and well beyond. We are pleased by the court’s decision to ensure RGGI can continue to deliver for Virginia. As clean energy manufacturing and deployment surges across the U.S., policies like RGGI can only help to attract investment into the Commonwealth. Ceres looks forward to working with the Youngkin administration and other policymakers to fully capitalize on those opportunities.”
Ceres has worked with businesses and investors for years in support of the RGGI cap-and-invest system, which sets a limit on power plant pollution across participating states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The market-based program has significantly cut pollution while generating revenue that has helped businesses and residents save money on energy costs through efficiency programs and other measures. In Virginia, Ceres has organized support from companies and investors both for the state to join the program, and to maintain the state’s participation since the administration moved to exit RGGI in 2022.
About Ceres
Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.org.