For Immediate Release:
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – Today, Governor Northam announced he would not be vetoing harmful language in the budget intended to block from going into effect an important safeguard that cuts carbon pollution. The rule, passed by the State Air Pollution Control Board April 19, would cut carbon emissions from power plants 30 percent over the coming decade, while linking Virginia to a larger, multi-state carbon marketplace known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
In response to today’s decision, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, offered the following statement:
“Virginians elected Northam, in part, because he promised to take serious climate action. Today, he failed to live up to that promise. We are incredibly disappointed with Northam’s failure to push back against House Republicans’ attempts to stand in the way of his administration’s signature climate policy.
While this is a setback, it’s not the end of this story. We simply can’t wait for serious climate action – we’re well past that point. Our attention now turns to electing a legislature in 2019 that will take the bold steps necessary to address climate change, grow a clean energy economy, and safeguard public health and our coast.”
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
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