Natural Resources Subcommittee

Wednesday, January 21, 2026·1h 20m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Natural Resources Subcommittee advanced four bills to the full committee — including a contested 6-3 vote to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and a 7-3 vote on an environmental justice planning bill — while killing a veterans state park passport bill that failed to receive a second on its motion to report.

Key Actions

·HB 397 – RGGI Market-Based Carbon Trading ProgramPassed

+ 6 more actions

Controversies

Whether RGGI raises costs for ratepayers or returns value to Virginians (HB 397)

Dylan Bishop (Virginia Oil and Gas Association) argued that prior to Virginia exiting RGGI, one power generating utility estimated RGGI would cost customers over $1 billion over four years, with residential bills up $2.39/month and industrial bills up over $1,500/month. Delegate Herring countered that states without RGGI saw their bills go up higher than states with RGGI, and Blair St. Leger Olson (Virginia League of Conservation Voters) argued the investments are returned to the Virginians who need them most.

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“I defy you to find a single report that shows where the money was spent, who got it, what was the purpose, and did it achieve its goal in CO2 reduction. Those ought to be minimum table stakes to pass this bill through the final process.”
Brett Vassi, Virginia Manufacturers Association, opposing HB 397 — Vassi argued that RGGI lacks a performance audit requirement, challenging supporters to produce documentation of how RGGI auction proceeds were spent in Virginia.

+ 2 more quotes

Votes

Motion to report HB 397 as substituted to the full committeePassed

Motion to report HB 256 to the full committeePassed

Motion to report HB 270 and refer to AppropriationsFailed

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TranscriptPreview

Good morning. Thank you so much for being here bright and early. And I apologize for being a little bit late this morning. We are ready. We have a couple of administrative requests to pass bills by for the day, but first we will take attendance. Mr. Clerk, can you open the roll? All right, we have a quorum present. We have a couple of bills that have been requested by the patrons to take by for the day. House Bill 70 from Delegate Feggins. Hold on. Can we do them in a block, sir? Sure. Okay. House Bill 104 and House Bill 105, both from Delegate Ballards. I think that is it, Madam Chair. I move that those bills go by for the day. Second. All right, that's been motioned and properly seconded. All those in favor to pass this bill by for the day. It's a voice vote, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay, first up, we will have Delegate Simons with House Bill 256. Okay. Did you want. Oh, it's okay for Delegate Simon to go first? All right. Okay. Then we'll have delegates. Simon. Singular. It happens frequently, Madam Chair. Yeah. With House Bill 134. Yeah.…

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