Northam vetoes bill opposing cap-and-trade plan

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has vetoed legislation that would have limited his authority to institute a carbon cap-and-trade plan.

Northam, a Democrat, announced Monday he had spiked a bill that requires legislative approval before Virginia can participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program among Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states that mandates emission reductions in the power sector.

Northam has made implementing the plan a top priority, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recently wrapped up public hearings on the state’s proposal.

The bill requiring legislative approval narrowly passed the GOP-led General Assembly along party lines. Republicans have virtually no chance of getting the needed two-thirds majority to override the veto.