McDonnell signs bills taking steps to be the energy capital of the east coast
By JR Hoeft | Thursday, March 11th, 2010 | PolicyMcDonnell signs HB 756 and 787, taking a solid first step towards energy independence. Here’s the McDonnell release:
Governor McDonnell Signs Legislation Positioning Virginia to Become the “Energy Capital of the East Coast”
Positions Commonwealth to Move Forward in Becoming First State on East Coast to Explore for Oil and Natural Gas Offshore; Part of Governor’s Comprehensive Energy Plan for Commonwealth
McDonnell Joined at Signing by Legislative Leaders on Energy Legislation: Delegate Chris Stolle; Delegate Ron Villanueva; Delegate Barbara Comstock and Delegate Charles Poindexter
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell was joined by a bipartisan group of delegates and senators this afternoon as he signed legislation that will allocate 80% of future offshore royalties and revenues to transportation and the remaining 20% to the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, which researches and develops renewable energy solutions. HB 756, a key piece of the Governor’s ‘Jobs and Opportunities’ Agenda, will allocate 80% of future offshore royalties and revenues to transportation (70% to Transportation Trust Fund and 10% to local transportation projects) and the remaining 20% to the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, which researches and develops renewable energy solutions. Equally important, HB 787 provides a clear statement of the Commonwealth in support of oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production 50 miles or more off Virginia’s coast. The Governor and members of his administration have been in steady communication with United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar expressing strong support for keeping the offshore lease sale on schedule for 2011. These pieces of legislation underscore those efforts and provide valuable evidence of Virginia’s readiness to lead on offshore exploration and drilling.
While signing the legislation, Governor McDonnell remarked, “These key pieces of legislation are necessary to help Virginia become the ‘Energy Capital of the East Coast.’ Virginians understand that this common-sense policy will lead to millions of dollars in revenue as well as thousands of new jobs. Revenue gained from offshore exploration will go directly to two key areas—transportation and energy research and development. Millions of dollars will go towards improving our transportation system that will ensure the free flow of commerce and attract further business investments in the Commonwealth. By investing 20% in renewable energy research and production we will ensure that energy sources of the future, such as wind and biofuels, are made more commercially practicable.”
The Governor went on to say, “It’s clear that the policy of the Commonwealth is to support both oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production. This is an issue with bipartisan consensus—both of Virginia’s U.S. Senators, and most of our Congressmen agree, that environmentally-safe, offshore energy development is a matter of national and economic security. In addition, we’re sending an important message that we are ready to go – and there should be no reason for Washington to delay the approval of the offshore lease sale and eventually exploration and drilling. Virginia is ready– we hope the federal government will move forward and join us in saying ‘yes’. I thank the patrons of this legislation, and leaders on this issue, and look forward to working with them to ensure Virginia becomes the first state on the East Coast to explore for oil and natural gas offshore,” concluded Governor McDonnell.
Speaking about the need for this legislation, Delegate Chris Stolle commented, “Ensuring that revenue from offshore energy exploration goes to transportation and research and development is crucial for the economic viability and security of the Commonwealth. I was proud to carry this piece of the Governor’s ‘Jobs and Opportunities Agenda’ through the House of Delegates this session, and am pleased to see it signed into law today.”
Delegate Villanueva added, “I thank the Governor for his leadership on this issue and appreciate his focus on exploring for both oil and natural gas. Both will enable Virginians to reap revenue for generations to come. I am proud to stand with the Governor and our citizens to signal that Virginia is ready for energy exploration; it is my sincere hope that we Washington will agree and give its approval.”
Senator Wagner also noted, “I’m pleased that we have made so much progress on moving the Governor’s energy agenda forward during the 2010 session. We have come a long way since introducing the resolution asking Congress to lift the moratorium 5 years ago.”
To see the bills please visit:
HB756: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=101&typ=bil&val=HB756
HB787: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=101&typ=bil&val=HB787To learn more about the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium please see: http://www.vcerc.org/
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Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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22 Responses to "McDonnell signs bills taking steps to be the energy capital of the east coast"
Who are the people standing behind the Governor in this picture?
They’re called “Delegates,” Eileen.
Left to right…
1st Row: Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, Governor Bob McDonnell, Delegate Ron Villanueva, Delegate Chris Stolle, Senator John Watkins
2nd Row: Delegate Matthew James, Delegate Onzlee Ware, Delegate Charles Poindexter, Delegate Barbara Comstock
Great news. Now encourage APCO to build a nuclear power plant in SW or Southside Virginia.
Eileen thought they were servants or low level staffers required to follow the governor around and smile. Eileen, believe it or not, even Democrats support off shore drilling. Get over it, dummy.
The victory of fairy tales over actual progress.
Geez, Kirwin. I didn’t know how much impact you had. Now everyone is coming up with one-line quips for comments.
Okay, there’s your off-shore drilling bill. How soon can we expect to see all the roads you said this would build? And no, moonbeam expressways that only dedicated GOP operatives can see don’t count.
Ah, the breadth of my influence….
I figured you were getting tired of my prose.
and that’s the bottom line, because BK said so.
The long pole in the tent “… there should be no reason for Washington to delay the approval of the offshore lease sale” and “we hope the federal government will move forward and join us”. These are “hope” documents that are based on the Feds approving this. Until the environmental impact statements, leasing agreements, etc., etc. and the Feds convert this to a political issue, nothing is going to happen. As with everything else, what is the deal with the Devil that Virginia is going to be forced to make?
TimJ:
And even if Washington does those things right away, there’s no gaurantee that there are any oil royalties in Virginia’s future.
These bills do nothing and is just a “photo op” in Richmond. And Ron told me: “he would make a difference”… Ron: I’m still waiting…
I support offshore drilling. With that said, the royalties are not going to appear for a LONG time. What are we going to do in the mean time, watch the transportation problem get worse?
I am unwilling to put the transportation problem on the back burner while we wait for future funding proposals to bear fruit. The problems exist now and the solution to the problem should not be pie in the sky. I want real solutions instead of promises that some day things will get better.
Yes LittleDavid, it is now clear that moderate, business oriented republicans are joining with others to state the obvious; that is, the intentional decade old policy of the House of Delegates to ignore the need for increases in user fees and user taxes to sustain, maintain, and improve our transportation infrastructure can no longer be tolerated, lest the policy have even greater negative impact on the citizens and businesses in Virginia.
And I’m with the supermajority of people who think that all levels of government are taxing and spending and debting at extremely high levels, and I’m waiting for someone to make transportation a higher priority.
I still favor converting the Warner tax increase to transportation.
Mike, Washington DC is and has been out of control. We can’t continue spending like that, and higher taxes from you and me doesn’t fix the problem.
Now government is going to raise taxes again to fund a giant health care plan.
The problem with transportation isn’t a lack of taxes. It’s got two problems – a lack of priority level compared to most other spending that government does, and an insane method of roadbuilding that results in a highway only a few miles long needing 15-20 years to be completed.
If the Interstate Highway System had to go through what we are required to do for the Southeastern Parkway, it would still be on paper.
Well Brian, if anyone expects to sustain and improve a highway system with a funding stream that has lost over 60% of its value since it was increased in 1987, that person is as guilty of avoiding reality as is the House of Delegates. In regard to your swipe at the President and Congress, I do not agree spending is out of control, but I do agree that soon, as we move farther out of recession, spending must be reduced, pay as you go must be the rule in Congress, and both sides must swear off earmarks.
Mike, how many trillions in debt must the nation be before you start to worry? We’re 12 and a half trillion in debt now.
It’s not a swipe. It’s a sincere concern that Government can’t manage everything and stay financially afloat. We can’t say yes to everyone who wants money from government.
Of course, the answer is that the stimulus needed to be big enough to get growth back on track again; no small action would have been sufficient. There was bi-partisan consensus on that. Now of course, even though republicans voted for stimulus as well, that has been forgotten as they see political advantage for condemning programs they supported then. Of course, that’s just politics, but whomever prevails in the future will need to restore the Clinton era pay as you go rules when in fact the budget was balanced and the deficit was reduced, a process that was cancelled by the Bush era tax cuts, spending without a source of revenue, and spiraling increases in the national debt.
MB-yep, stimulus needed to be bigger. And you’re right about the Bush tax cuts. (I’m not sure there were actually ‘pay as you go rules’ during rhe Clinton admin, but he did balance the budget).
It’s interesting how Republicans suddenly got interested in deficits when a Democrat got elected.
Because, according to Sith Lord Dick Cheney, the lesson of St. Ronnie Reagan’s administration, which all Republicans believe to be the best presidency ever, was “deficits don’t matter.”
The Bush team certainly took that lesson to heart.
But now, when a national fiscal crisis requires government spending to prime the pump for recovery, the GOP suddenly have become deficit Hawks.
Hmmm, a suspicious person might think they were just engaged in a little political posturing.
“deficit hawks”…edit function didn’t work.
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