McDonnell/Bolling Energy Plan Released

The McDonnell/Bolling Energy Plan was released today with proposals of more energy and more jobs for Virginia. This plan will include a great focus on green jobs and promoting Virginia as the “Energy Capital of the East Coast.” With oil and natural gas located off the coast in Virginia, there would be more jobs created and this will assist in reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

Here are some of the highlights from the plan:

• Supporting Virginia’s coal industry and nuclear energy
• Expedite the permitting and approval processes for energy facilities
• Support affordable Energy Efficient improvements
• Improve Energy Reliability and Affordability through SMART Grids and Buildings

McDonnell said during his speech at Old Dominion University:

“This morning I traveled to Old Dominion University to launch our energy plan at The Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium. The Consortium is researching and developing the energy solutions of the future. However, to do this work for tomorrow they need the energy of today. And that is what our “More Energy, More Jobs” energy plan is about. We need more energy in Virginia at a reasonable price, and that means we must utilize all the resources available to us. Thankfully in Virginia the resources are plentiful, and if we fully develop them all we can be the “Energy Capital of the East Coast.”

McDonnell continued, “Right now Virginia is the second largest importer of electricity behind California. The time has come for bold action to harness the energy available to us today, while continuing to develop the energy sources of tomorrow. In a McDonnell administration we will safely drill offshore for natural gas and oil, and reap the significant economic benefits documented in recent studies. We will use a portion of the revenues from this effort to fund alternative and renewable energy research and development and a portion to fund transportation infrastructure. We will support Virginia’s coal industry which supplies 43% of our energy, creates thousands of jobs in Southwest Virginia and Hampton Roads, yet is under constant attack from national special interest groups. We will leverage Tobacco Commission funding to make Southside and Southwest Virginia a hub of energy research and development. We will expedite permitting and approval for new energy facilities to reduce bureaucratic delays in getting necessary projects underway. And we will make Virginia a national leader in the burgeoning field of green energy by establishing the Commonwealth as a “Green Jobs Zone” which will bring entrepreneurs, and the jobs they create, to Virginia. We need more energy, we need more jobs. We need our lights to stay on at an affordable price, while we develop our future energy sources. Our comprehensive energy plan will power the Virginia of today and tomorrow and create thousands of good paying jobs for our citizens in the process.”

Bolling mentioned the anticipated success from this plan.

“As Governor and Lieutenant Governor we are committed to supporting a comprehensive energy policy – a policy that recognizes the importance of developing new sources of energy, like wind, solar, biofuels and the like; while at the same time doing more to expand traditional sources of energy like nuclear power, clean coal, oil and natural gas, all of which are in abundance in Virginia.”

Bolling added, “As we all know, the most important issue currently facing our state is the need to get our economy moving again and create the jobs Virginians need to protect their economic security. We are determined to do just that. At the same time, we all know that our nation faces another important challenge, the need to protect our national energy security. Fortunately, we have developed a strategy to help our nation enhance its national energy security, while at the same time helping Virginians protect their own economic security.

There is no doubt that the energy crisis will be a difficult challenge, but there is no doubt that we need to be looking at common sense solutions in this economy.

**Cross Posted at Virginia News Platoon and YR Dominion