Judge puts stop to governor’s effort to remove Virginia from greenhouse gas initiative

Associated Press

A judge has ruled that Virginia can’t withdraw from a multistate initiative designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions unless the Legislature agrees to it. The ruling issued this week by a judge in Floyd County deals a blow to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s efforts to exit the compact. The judge said Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Board exceeded its authority when it voted last year at Youngkin’s urging to exit the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Youngkin said said the compact, which creates a cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions, creates a hidden tax on Virginians’ energy bills. He and Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares said they will appeal the ruling.