Staff Report
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U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner today called on the Secretary of the Interior to promptly commence steps to ensure that the Virginia Lease Sale, for the development of oil and gas resources off the coast of Virginia, remains on track for 2011.
“Support among Virginia’s political leadership for the development of oil and gas resources is strong,” the senators wrote in a joint letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “If accomplished with a fair and equitable formula for sharing of revenues between the federal and state government, Lease Sale 220 will attract well-paying jobs to the Commonwealth to support a range of projects, from the transportation sector to coastal restoration. Further, it holds significant promise for boosting needed domestic energy production.”
In June 2008, Sen. Webb cosponsored legislation with then-Sen. John Warner to allow the Commonwealth to conduct energy exploration activities in the Outer Continental Shelf, with revenue-sharing provisions. “We believe the time has come for implementing the intent of the legislation by going forward with Lease Sale 220 in a more expedited manner,” wrote Sens. Webb and Mark Warner today in their letter.