Randolph pledges support for statewide carbon reduction plan

Randolph officially pledged its support this week for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) recently proposed regulation to reduce carbon emissions from the electricity sector.

On April 9, Randolph President Bradley W. Bateman, along with the presidents of Washington & Lee University, Lynchburg College, Eastern Mennonite University, Hollins University, and Emory & Henry College, submitted a letter of support to the DEQ. The proposed initiative is designed to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuel-burning power plants beginning in 2020, with a plan to continue reducing emissions by 30 percent over a decade.

“We recognize the importance of strong, stable policies that aim to account for the cost of carbon emissions and provide market certainty, allowing colleges and universities to plan and invest for the future,” the letter said. “In Virginia, the proposed carbon reduction program would incentivize additional investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency—creating good-paying jobs for our graduates and others across the Commonwealth, attracting world-class students, faculty, and staff to our institutions, improving the well-being of the communities in which we’re located, and making Virginia an even more attractive place to live and work.”

Randolph is consistently recognized nationally for its sustainable practices among small liberal arts colleges. The College was the first in Virginia to sign the Presidents’ Climate Commitment, committing to carbon neutrality by 2050. Its most recent national recognitions include being named among Best College Reviews’ Top 25 Green Colleges for 2018. The Princeton Review has also named Randolph as a Top 50 Green College, and Sierra Club has recognized Randolph as a Cool School.

Read the letter of support for the DEQ’s proposed plan in its entirety here: Higher Education Support for Proposed Carbon Reduction Plan