Walton C. Shepherd

People-first climate policy on the clock; dog-first policy off the clock.

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Endless data center growth in Va is legit daunting, if it swamps our climate & our energy system.

But folks can take a chill-pill:

If Big Tech walks the walk on their climate commitments & the @VAStateCorpComm remains a steady hand, we can do this right.
https://t.co/L0orZ8mQKk

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

The latest "legal opinion" of @GovernorVa & @JasonMiyaresVA is wobblier than an intoxicated bowling pin.

So let's just call this what it is: Youngkin once again sacrificing a safer climate by contorting the law for big polluters.

So much for law & order!
https://t.co/k0v1LMWl4k

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Richmond climate leaders @ssurovell shouldn’t take their eye off the ball and follow Youngkin over the cliff on “small nuclear.”

Why? Just google:

"NuScale billions lost"

“North Anna 3 billions lost”

“VC Summers billions lost”

“Vogtle billions lost”
https://t.co/32oda52Y3h

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

What good governance looks like:

Legislative leaders @ssurovell @DonScott757 neatly tie this up in less than 2 weeks, after 2 years of nihilistic obstruction.

Back to its full strength, the SCC can now ensure Va's clean energy economy goes into overdrive
https://t.co/z2gnxO5ZuW

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Good grief

@GlennYoungkin just asked taxpayers to pay $100ml for polluters’ climate damage, yet the last quarterly RGGI auction alone delivered the same amount, except paid for by the very polluters responsible for worsening our flooding.

Get a clue bud!
https://t.co/ecEqeSMv66

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Big polluters coughed up another $70+mil in quarterly RGGI payments, to help pay for their climate damage to Virginia.

Yet, as extreme weather damage piles up, @GlennYoungkin 's anti-RGGI message to Virginians?

"Drop dead. I stand with the polluters."

https://t.co/ecEqeSMv66

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Now that @GlennYoungkin has taken the plunge w/his reckless stunt attacking VA's popular RGGI law, he's about to get a civics lesson in court: the legislature makes law, the governor executes them.

His attack is a stress test on democracy, but democracy (& the climate) will win.

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Sneering at every climate law, while proposing zero solutions of his own, @GlennYoungkin's destructive, cynical politics on climate change rightly meet their demise in Richmond, thanks to champions in the Senate @SenMMAson looking out for all Virginians.

https://t.co/PbMzQ09eCy

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

@GlennYoungkin has now blown a manufacturing renaissance in TWO rural Va counties: first Hyundai, now Ford, as rest of the South pulls ahead.

EV factory stats:
TN +2 (incl. biggest auto plant in US history)
KY +2
WV +2
NC +2
MD +2
VA -2

Thanks Glenn
https://t.co/7IZPd5xMr5

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Weird: @glennyoungkin’s budget would make taxpayers pay for VA’s exorbitant flooding & energy costs.

Yet in Q4 alone, under VA’s RGGI law, big polluters just paid up another $70+ million, to do exactly that.

Youngkin's RGGI attack is just a big misfire.
https://t.co/OlNmhrNCbZ

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

@GovernorVA’s Energy Plan is already gathering dust.

It’s yet another tired “all of the above” touting of resources either decades too late (pipelines!) or decades too soon (SMR!), while ignoring the clean energy reality of today: electrification, storage, EVs, and efficiency.

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Va's fundign allotment from the latest RGGI cap-and-invest auction ($75mil) is another solid down payment for @GovernorVA's admin. to deliver on his commitment to tackle Va's high electric rates & rising floodwaters.

https://t.co/MJ3KtHJJVf

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Even as Va floodwaters rise, @GovernorVA forgets the word "govern" is in governor:

By burying his doomed RGGI attack under admin busywork, he's just buying himself more time to showboat to the donor class.

C'mon gov, let's dial back the cynical ambition.
https://t.co/IRR1w2OSqf

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

This decision looks good on you, @VAStateCorpComm!

@DominionEnergy's energy efficiency upgrades in our homes & businesses is just the carbon-zapping investment Virginia needs much more of, for our affordable transition to zero-carbon-emissions-by-2045.
https://t.co/j6xinva7t6

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

@VAStateCorpComm's kneecapping of @dominionenergy's transformative offshore wind energy is wrong & inconsistent.

Va's rates are soaring due to inefficiency & overreliance on fossil fuels: the SCC should deliver 21st century solutions, not roadblock them.

https://t.co/rWfxbF3YXx

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Good news for coping with sky-high gas prices and sky-high temps => climate-friendly EV-chargers are now easier to get, if you're a @DominionEnergy customer in VA.

My Chevrolet EV slashed my fuel costs AND pollution, by more than half.

Get charged up!

https://t.co/qj2UmtVnCG

[L. Louise Lucas @SenLouiseLucas]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: @GovernorVA needs to stop playing games with our lives.

RGGI delivers community flood protection funding all across Virginia and he attacks it? What an empty vest!

Drag him @NRDC!

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

In appointing 4 polluter allies to the Air Pollution Control Board, Youngkin is the stooge of shadow-secretary Wheeler: rather than continue drifting into nihilism, Youngkin should pause & examine Wheeler's track record up in DC. This won't end well, Gov.

https://t.co/Oak3MZEFoW

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Inflation is walloping @Dominionenergy ratepayers, by up to $24 a month - on top of rates that are among the very highest in the South.

All just to cover Dominion's soaring gas bill.

Time for D to get serious about energy efficiency.#actionsspeaklouder

https://t.co/xMgUevTOkT

[Walton C. Shepherd @WaltonShepherd]

Virginians ♥️ RGGI by wide margins; it cut pollution while economy grew to pre-cov heights; it funds energy independence & protection against sea-level rise.

Whipping folks into a redmeat lather over that just doesn't work @GlennYoungkin: let's move on.

https://t.co/8mrzNd3VZX