June 19, The Washington Post published the following letter to the editor from Virginia LCV Executive Director Michael Town offering an overview of where the Governor stands on clean energy and the climate fight.
Gov. McAuliffe deserves credit for promoting clean energy
The June 12 Local Opinions essay “McAuliffe’s abysmal climate record” missed the mark on where the administration of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) stands on clean energy and climate change.
Mr. McAuliffe has done more to move us in the right direction in the climate fight than any other Virginia governor, despite facing a hostile General Assembly. This year, he introduced measures to promote clean energy in Virginia and rejected bad energy policy from the legislature. Mr. McAuliffe vetoed ineffective and costly subsidies to coal companies, a huge win for environmentalists and a good first step in leveling the energy playing field, especially if it had been coupled with funding for solar development included in his introduced budget. The governor also rejected legislation attacking his ability to draft and submit a state strategy to implement the Clean Power Plan, a federal initiative to cut carbon emissions from the power sector.
In fact, Mr. McAuliffe was the only Southern governor who pledged to keep working on a state plan to implement the CPP during the Supreme Court’s stay. The governor has shown ongoing leadership in building a clean-energy economy for Virginia.
Michael Town, Richmond
The writer is executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters.