U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner, both Virginia Democrats, have introduced legislation to allow drilling for oil and natural gas off Virginia's coast.
If approved, the Virginia Outer Continental Shelf Energy Production Act of 2011 would provide that half of any leasing revenues be funneled to the state for land and water conservation efforts and development of clean energy resources as well as transportation and other infrastructure projects.
The legislation would also expand the federal government's map of the mid-Atlantic exploration area to more accurately reflect the extent of Virginia's coastal resources, the senators said.
Virginia's lease sale was originally scheduled for this year but delayed until at least 2017 after last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the worst offshore spill in U.S. history.
"We should not be sending hundreds of billions of dollars each year to oil-producing countries that do not like us," Warner said. "This legislation jump-starts a multiyear process that will include responsible environmental reviews, close consultations with NASA and our military partners in Hampton Roads, and this process will include multiple public hearings."
Drill Baby Drill piss on the libs let wash up on their beach front properties.
ReplyDeleteO'Malley!Do you see what real leaders do to make their states grow and prosper.We should join forces with Virginia and any other Mid-Atlantic state to do what the Department of Energy was established to do!
ReplyDeleteAs soon as this goes into affect you will see gas prices drop.
ReplyDeletePoor Obama wets his diaper again!!!