The Department of Environmental Quality should create a rule — based on the strongest available science that significantly reduces carbon pollution from Virginia’s power plants. The rule must ensure flesh and blood Virginians, not utilities, benefit from any profits from carbon regulations. The rule must be written to address environmental racism and disproportionate pollution in poor communities.? This process is an opportunity to reduce carbon pollution while creating jobs, badly needed in Southwest Virginia and elsewhere, while investing in cheap renewable energy and energy efficiency.

 took one of the largest actions on climate ever taken by a southern state.

Governor McAuliffe's Executive Directive 11 directs the Department of Environmental Quality to create a rule by the end of this year to place limits on carbon pollution from Virginia power plants. To satisfy this directive, the rule must be science-based, substantially reduce state power plant carbon pollution, and trading-ready so Virginia is ready to participate in a multi-state carbon trading market,  Virginia must meet the same stringency standards other marketplace states are meeting.

Thank you for allowing me and other members of the public to comment about how the Governor's directive should be carried out.