As a Virginia citizen, I am writing to express my strong support for staying in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).  I urge you NOT to withdraw from this vital program which is WORKING well for Virginians in many ways. These include reductions in power plant emissions, which mitigates air pollution as well as climate change.  

As a physician, I want to emphasize the unquestionable and invaluable benefits of decreased air pollution on public health, including rates of asthma, heart disease, cancer risk and much more.  In addition to reducing human suffering and saving lives, this also saves the state in public health costs. 

Also, during this summer of climate related weather disasters (wild fires, heat waves and “heat domes”, flooding etc. etc.), we are witnessing daily the cost in lives lost, search and rescue, emergency services, emergency food and housing, people uprooted, community destruction, infrastructure failures, disruptions in work and school, rebuilding.  There is also growing recognition of PTSD in people impacted by climate events and also by first responders.  

It makes NO SENSE at all to pull out of RGGI, a program which so clearly benefits citizens, communities and state in so many clear ways. 

Please make the smart choice to STAY in RGGI.

Thank you.