Virginia Democrats announce plan to accelerate the process of rejoining RGGI

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Democrats are accelerating their plans to have Virginia rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

It comes just days after Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) announced Virginia would rejoin the multi-state effort to cap carbon emissions. 

House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria) told reporters on Jan. 21 that Democrats plan to introduce a budget amendment that could speed up the state’s process of rejoining RGGI. 

“It’s a great benefit, and we have to continue to act with our sister states,” Herring told 8News. 

RGGI works to reduce carbon emissions by limiting how much carbon energy producers can emit and forcing them to pay for those emissions. 

Virginia joined RGGI in 2020, only for then-Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) to remove Virginia in 2023, because energy producers, like Dominion Energy, were passing the cost of RGGI on to Virginia ratepayers in the form of an addition to their monthly bills. 

Dominion said when Virginia left the program in 2023, that addition was about $4.40 per month, but any future addition would depend on the cost of carbon allowances at the time.

Republican Delegate Lee Ware (R-Powhatan) said any addition to Virginians’ bills is reason enough to oppose Virginia rejoining RGGI. 

“We’re hearing a lot about affordability, the governor has underscored that numerous times, and to me, what we’re doing is working the other direction, when we adopt this plan to go back to RGGI,” Ware told 8News. 

However, Herring said, because Virginia gets the money spent by utilities back to use for energy efficiency upgrades and flood mitigation, RGGI actually saves Virginians money in the long run. 

According to the Virginia Conservation Network, when Virginia was in RGGI, the state received more than $800 million. 

“For low-income consumers, it will help with weatherization, which will help with utility bills,” Herring said. “Money is coming into the Commonwealth, significant sums of money to help with flood resilience, which is gonna help communities across the Commonwealth.”

In 2024, a judge ruled that former Governor Youngkin didn’t have the authority to remove Virginia from RGGI and that his actions were null and void. However, that opinion is on hold pending an appeal from the Youngkin administration.

8News asked Attorney General Jay Jones’ (D) office if Jones plans to defend the appeal now that Youngkin is out of office, but never received an answer.