In the race to become the next governor, Brian Moran, a Democrat, broke ranks Tuesday with other candidates by vowing to fight all efforts to allow oil and natural gas drilling off the Virginia coast.
By contrast, the presumptive Republican nominee, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, of Virginia Beach, favors drilling.
The two other Democratic contenders, state Sen. Creigh Deeds and Terry McAuliffe, have more nuanced positions than Moran, a former Northern Virginia state legislator.
"Drilling offshore will not produce significant fuel for another two decades and would provide an insignificant portion of our domestic need," Moran said in a statement released by his campaign Tuesday.
"This is a distraction that takes away from the nationwide commitment we need to renewable energy sources and the creation of 21st century green jobs," the statement said.
The announcement came as the federal Minerals Management Service closed the books to public comments on a proposal to allow oil and gas exploration and drilling at least 50 miles off Virginia Beach. The service estimates a targeted slice of the Outer Continental Shelf could contain 130 million barrels of oil and 1.1 trillion cubic feet of gas. Moran's gambit also came one day after Deeds, a legislator from western Virginia, appeared in Virginia Beach with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to announce support for a green jobs initiative. Deeds favors "environmentally safe offshore drilling," his campaign said Tuesday in an e-mail, "so long as it generates royalties and doesn't interfere with the military, tourism and fishing industries."
McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is taking a position similar to Kaine's.
Both back exploratory activities for natural gas only. Exploring and then drilling for oil, McAuliffe's campaign office said, is premature.
"He believes we need to know what's out there before we make major, long-term decisions," McAuliffe's office said.
This position, however, is at odds with existing offshore lease rules. Companies that buy such a lease - the Virginia sale is expected to take place in 2011 - are entitled to explore and drill for oil and gas.
McDonnell said offshore drilling should be part of a larger energy plan that strives for independence from foreign sources. "There is no one silver bullet," McDonnell's campaign manager, Phil Cox, said in an e-mail. "Offshore drilling is one piece of the solution."
Glen Besa, state director of the Sierra Club, applauded Moran's statement. "I would hope the other candidates take the same position," Besa said.
The Democratic primary is June 9. The general election is Nov. 3.
Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340, scott.harper@pilotonline.com
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Nice to see a Dem show their true colors
Democrats will talk a good game about energy independence while they're campaigning, but when it comes time for a vote on the issue, they back away. You see, 1) they can't keep their environmental lobby happy with offshore drilling, and 2) they can't keep you and me beholden to foreign oil if we explore (and find it) here at home.
Outsider
By the way here is another outsider born and raised in MA lives in Northern Va and thinks he knows what Virginians need.
Vote for a Virginian to lead Virginia, Democrat, Republican or Independant.
Virginians for Virginia.
Anti-Moran
Moran says “drilling offshore will not produce significant fuel for another two decades and would provide an insignificant portion of our domestic need.” That may or may not be true, but what backward thinking on his part. What if drilling had been started two decades ago? Then we might not be in the situation we are.
While I’m all for alternative fuels, we simply can’t sit idly by and wait. Being a governor hopeful, I would expect Moran to be more proactive. Also, I would expect him to abide by the wishes of the citizens and voters of the Commonwealth rather than his own ideals.
Drilling
Another green meanie who is living in the past when it comes to the environmental issues. Look to the North Sea oil fields, the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and the middle east how many environmental disasters have you seen from the drilling.
Quit blowing smoke and get real if we don't do it others will and not in as environmentally safe ways as required by us.
Another No Vote here.
off shore Drilling
Moran is an example of instant gratification. If it does not pay off now it is not worth it. We have to think about the future. You just can't turn on the oil spigot in one day. If we had thought about the future of oil and gas 10 years ago and planned to use some of our resources down the road (infrastructure in place) we probably would not have had the soaring gas prices
Off Shore Drilling
Tell the people who do not want drilling off shore to stay home. They'll not get my vote...or my family and neighbors vote.
While I disagree with some
While I disagree with some of Moran's other positions, he is 100 percent correct on this one. There is no good reason to drill off the Virginia shoreline. The so-called benefits are tiny relative to the huge risk involved. It is just throwing bones to the oil companies who already have areas to explore that they have yet to take action on. More important, we need to move away from fossil-fuel dependency now more than ever. And invest in renewable energy and jobs. It is actually refreshing to see a politician looking out for all of Virginia and the nation on this issue instead of special interests and political and/or anti-science hacks. The benefits of renewable energy investments far outweigh any of offshore drilling.
Way to Go
Saved me reading and researching you as a possible person to vote for. No Drilling = No Vote from me.. Thanks once again
Here's a knife - cut off your nose....you .....
"Drilling offshore will not produce significant fuel for another two decades and would provide an insignificant portion of our domestic need," Moran said in a statement released by his campaign Tuesday.
I thought all the morons had gone to bed at least until after the inaugeration but I guess stupid is as stupid does.
Short term, immediate satisfaction/gratification thinking? is a problem of businesses and governments that go bankrupt. We need intelligient, business-based leaders to run our state.
Waiting for the next election.
NEED THE OIL
Hey Winnie we need the oil. The Democrats will promise anything to get into office and when it come time to pony up they just back away like
we the taxpayers are no body. It is all about Socialism.