ENVIRONMENTAL, COMMUNITY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATES APPLAUD NEW YORK STATE’S MOVE TO STRENGTHEN REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE

13 Diverse Organizations Joined Together to Thank Governor for Ensuring RGGI Can Continue to Deliver for New Yorkers

Today, environmental, community, and public health advocates released the following statement in response to New York State adopting updated regulations for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the nation’s first market-based program to cut pollution from power plants:

“We applaud Governor Hochul and her administration for making updates to strengthen RGGI, which has proven that a market-based program can deliver real, cost-effective results. In less than two decades, it has cut power sector pollution in half and raised more than $3.5 billion to invest in New York communities, delivering lower energy bills, cleaner air, and good jobs. The state is now strengthening this program at a moment when the federal government is retreating from climate action. New York and the 10 other RGGI states do not need Washington’s permission to cut pollution and save people money, which RGGI has been doing for nearly two decades. New York’s actions today are a critical step to ensure RGGI can continue to deliver these benefits for years to come.”

Organizations include: The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Evergreen Action, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Environmental Advocates NY (EANY), New Yorkers for Clean Power, American Lung Association – New York, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, The Nature Conservancy in New York, Acadia Center, New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO), Regional Plan Association, and We Act.