Kaine Statement on Supreme Court Decision in West Virginia v. EPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Supreme Court issued its decision on West Virginia v. EPA, curbing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s ability to fight climate change:

“At a time we’re seeing devastating impacts of climate change in communities across Virginia and the nation, it’s outrageous that the out-of-touch Supreme Court has handcuffed the EPA’s ability to address the climate crisis. Just yesterday, I was in Norfolk to meet with experts about the all-hands-on-deck fight to protect Virginians from sea level rise and flooding caused by climate change. These impacts hurt families, our military installations in the area, and our economic competitiveness. We should be using all the tools at our disposal to tackle climate change – not only building climate resilient infrastructure, but also moving to a cleaner energy future.” 

Yesterday, Kaine was briefed on the progress of Norfolk’s flood resilient infrastructure projects. Kaine participated in a walking tour of the Ohio Creek restoration project, followed by a discussion with experts from the city and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Project. Both are cutting edge infrastructure projects to help protect Norfolk from sea level rise and flooding caused by climate change. Kaine has long championed resilience measures for Hampton Roads, and through the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Kaine helped secure historic USACE Civil Works funding for the region, including:

• $399.3 million for the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project
• $1.5 million and NEW START for the Virginia Beach and Vicinity Coastal Storm Risk Management Study

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