McDonnell applauds award for offshore wind turbine technology demonstration to Virginia utility

Contributors

Gov. Bob McDonnell applauded the award of an offshore wind technology demonstration grant to a Virginia utility and announced today the beginning of a geological survey of the Virginia Wind Energy Area (WEA), encompassing 112,799 acres 23.5 nautical miles offshore Virginia Beach and the Port of Hampton Roads. Both of these projects support a Commonwealth goal to accelerate commercial leasing and development of the Virginia WEA and offshore energy industry supply chain.

Conservationists celebrate landmark offshore wind lease in Virginia

Contributors

Conservation groups praised the Obama Administration’s announcement on Friday of a lease sale for the offshore wind energy area 23.5 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. The Department of the Interior announced it would be conducting a competitive lease sale for the 112,800-acre area identified last February. DOI will auction the entire area as a single lease. The lease sale is an important step and is the result of cooperation among regulators, environmentalists, utilities and state lawmakers-all of whom support offshore wind energy for Virginia.

Scott Klinger: Time to end the Apple and GE offshore tax loopholes

Contributors

While attention focuses on congressional action on the Bush tax cuts, another tax bill is quietly tiptoeing through the Senate. The Senate Finance Committee has reported out the corporate tax extenders bill, a collection of dozens of tax breaks, many targeting industries whose lobbyists have filled campaign larders with cash. These tax breaks all expired at the end of last year, and are on track to be renewed for another year with little debate or scrutiny

Federal agency moving forward with offshore wind energy plan

Contributors

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced on Thursday that it is moving forward with the next step in offshore wind energy development off the Virginia coast. The BOEM is publishing the call for information and nominations aimed at industry interest in locations off the Virginia coast for commercial wind energy leases. The call is…

Webb, Warner critical of administration on offshore-drilling plan

Chris Graham

A five-year oil and gas leasing plan announced today by the Obama administration omits Virginia from the plan. Virginia Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner responded by urging the administration to reconsider. “Oil and gas exploration within the Virginia Outer Continental Shelf – if coupled with an equitable formula for sharing revenues between the state…

Webb calls for provisions to include Virginia in offshore energy bill

Chris Graham

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., today called for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to incorporate his Virginia Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Energy Production Act in pending offshore energy legislation this week. “Outer Continental Shelf production has strong support among Virginians and their political leadership,” Webb wrote the Committee’s Chairman and Ranking Member. “I look forward…

Webb, Warner introduce offshore-drilling legislation

Chris Graham

U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner today introduced legislation that would allow oil and natural gas exploration and production off of the Virginia coast. Both senators have consistently supported safe and responsible energy exploration on Virginia’s outer continental shelf. The Virginia Outer Continental Shelf Energy Production Act of 2011 would also expand the…

Sen. Webb: Offshore drilling bill fails to grant Virginia fair share of revenue

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) on Wednesday voted against legislation that would have prevented Virginia from using revenues from lease sales of its offshore resources to fund transportation and other critical projects. The Offshore Production and Safety Act of 2011, introduced by Sen. Mitch McConnell, failed today in the Senate. “I have long advocated opening up…

McDonnell, Goodlatte tout offshore energy development

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell used a Thursday photo op to bring attention to his continued push for offshore drilling off the coast of Virginia. “America has an energy policy problem. Today, Virginia businesses and families are paying, on average, $3.88 per gallon for gasoline. That’s up $1.00 from a year ago. The Energy Information Administration estimates…