See below for Glenn Youngkin’s press release “on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative report, as outlined in the governor’s executive order 9.” But first, check out the reactions by State Senator Scott Surovell and former Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Deputy Director Chris Bast, who absolutely rip the Youngkin administration’s report as follows:
- Sen. Surovell: “Yesterday, we learn Andrew Wheeler is staying on at $185K/yr. and today the Governor releases a report attacking RGGI and laying out a framework for withdrawing from RGGI. Straight outta the Trump EPA Playbook.”
- Chris Bast: “The dedicated professionals I worked with at
@VirginiaDEQ spent years developing and implementing the Virginia Carbon Rule and are dedicated to clean air, reducing emissions, and climate action. This ‘report’ does them a massive disservice. This ‘report’ is nothing more than policy laundering. @VirginiaDEQ and their Counsel have spent years arguing how RGGI is NOT a carbon tax. The Administration and political leadership have manufactured a report to push their policy preference. And laundered it through DEQ staff. It’s insulting, and, frankly, a regulatory agency can’t just change their mind like that. It’s clear that Wheeler didn’t learn his lesson from the failures at EPA. Today, I’m sad for my former colleagues. Tomorrow, I look forward to another day of Virginia being in RGGI, because no matter how much hot air comes from this Administration, there’s no real path forward out of RGGI right now.”
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