Spanberger Pledges to Increase Energy Taxes

In an uncovered 2024 interview, Spanberger defers to radical environmental groups and pledges to increase Virginia energy taxes.

Published July 17, 2025

In a 2024 episode of “Virginia Political Newsletter,” Abigail Spanberger said an initiative that included green energy mandates and increased carbon taxes would be “a priority.”

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, includes mostly Northeast and New England states and would enforce caps on Carbon emissions. “It would be a priority to get Virginia back into RGGI,” Spanberger said.

Spanberger discussed weather concerns throughout the country and said that RGGI would help prioritize fighting climate change.

Governor Glenn Youngkin withdrew Virginia from RGGI, an issue Democrats have sued his administration to reverse. Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has pledged to continue Youngkin’s withdrawal policy. (RELATED: Virginia Launches Next-Gen Nuclear Reactor Project)

“Since this Administration ended the RGGI tax, Virginians have been spared hundreds of millions of dollars in RGGI taxes,” said Youngkin’s press secretary Peter Finocchio. “If Democrats have their way and forced us back into RGGI, Virginians would face over $500 million in RGGI compliance costs next year alone.”

RGGI is estimated to have raised Pennsylvania energy costs by 30% and other states are considering withdrawing from RGGI because of the costs to consumers in every sector of the economy.

Virginia currently imports 40% of its electricity, meaning the consumers must pay more for both their electric bill and all other goods and services in the state. Earle-sears said her policies are focused on bridging that gap and lowering consumer costs.

I’m in full support of @GovernorVA actions to withdraw Virginia from RGGI and AG @JasonMiyaresVA official opinion that VA is not legally bound to CA's emission standards. We will continue to protect the rights of Virginians and those they elect to make laws for the Commonwealth. https://t.co/hlqjiJYeH5
— Lt. Governor of Virginia – Winsome Earle-Sears (@WinsomeSears) June 5, 2024

“That’s a good problem because it means businesses want to come,” said Earle-Sears. “They’re job creators. They pay for all the good things. We want that. That’s why we are going to have all of it: clean coal. Oil. Yes, renewables. Nuclear. Natural gas; all of that.”

Cap-and-trade policies such as RGGI are shown to disproportionately impact farmers and have been called a “handout for corporations and a huge tax on consumers.”