Carbon Rule/ Clean Energy Virginia Initiative

The open comment period and public hearings for the carbon rule and Clean Energy Virginia Initiative are still underway. VAEEC encourages members to submit comments supporting the energy efficiency carve out and are happy to help you draft comments. We also encourage members to attend the hearings listed below:

View in PDF.

Last November, the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board approved Governor McAuliffe’s regulations to limit carbon emissions from Virginia’s electric generating facilities. These regulations will:

• cap emissions at 33 or 34 million tons
• reduce carbon emissions 30% between 2020-2030

The state will hold quarterly consignment auctions to determine the cost of the allowances and the money from that auction will be given back to the utilities (not to state), which is a first of its kind in the US.

Five percent of the allowances will be withheld from the consignment auction and will be transferred to the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) to implement energy efficiency programs. DMME plans to hold a separate rulemaking for this piece of the carbon rule later this year. VAEEC will continue providing resources to DMME as they investigate options for program design and implementation.

There is currently an open comment period through April 9th, 2018 and public hearings taking place throughout the Commonwealth in early March on the Clean Energy Virginia Initiative.