Energy issues rev up race for governor

Energy and environmental issues are often afterthoughts in political campaigns, but they emerged as priorities during last year's presidential election. It's promising to see that all four candidates for governor in Virginia have put time and effort into their own proposals this year. All offer innovative and workable ideas in areas such as land conservation and renewable energy. All four have room for improvement.

Republican Bob McDonnell's most sophisticated proposal relates to land conservation. He's promised to preserve 400,000 acres if he's elected, matching the goal set by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. The state has struggled to balance the need for more intensive conservation efforts with the drain tax incentives have placed on the budget. McDonnell takes a pragmatic approach. He would increase the value of tax credits for participating landowners while preserving budget circuit-breakers that cap the dollar amount granted each year. He's signaled an openness to loosening the cap once state revenues improve.

McDonnell's more troubling initiatives would open Virginia's shoreline to drilling for oil and natural gas under federal rules that would cheat the state out of its fair share of royalties while saddling it with the risk of environmental mishaps.

Democrat Creigh Deeds plans to release details on his energy plan today. His past record demonstrates a commitment to the environment, with caveats. As a state lawmaker, he authored legislation creating the land preservation tax breaks and has been an advocate for increasing incentives to attract renewable energy jobs. But his roots in Western Virginia have also made him an apologist for the coal industry.

Terry McAuliffe has invested in drafting the "War and Peace" of policy proposals, including 28 pages on energy. One of his more intriguing ideas would allow homeowners with solar panels to sell electricity back to the power company. His vigorous proselytizing on the need to change Virginia's backward culture of outmoded energy production earned him the endorsement of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters in the June primary.

Despite his sweeping proposals, McAuliffe has been conspicuous in his squishiness on some of the most pressing environmental issues facing Virginia. He has failed to take a position on a proposed coal plant in Surry County that would pollute the Chesapeake Bay and James River and damage air quality for residents in Hampton Roads and Richmond.

Rounding out the foursome is Brian Moran, who has carved out the most vividly green and aggressive environmental positions of the campaign. Moran is the only candidate to commit to fighting the Surry plant. He's also the lone opponent of drilling for either natural gas or oil off Virginia Beach. He's pledged to make progress on wind energy development, but he's realistic about the need to strengthen Virginia's nuclear energy capacity, critical to providing power for a growing state while the infrastructure is put in place for renewable sources.

Moran's biggest weakness may be that he is overestimating gubernatorial authority to block a coal plant or oil rigs. Most of those decisions lie in the hands of the State Corporation Commission and federal authorities.

Virginia is uniquely situated to benefit from wise energy and environmental choices, just as it will suffer greatly from careless ones. It's striking to see that the next governor, whoever he may be, understands he cannot sit back and wait for someone in Washington to do all the work on these complex and difficult challenges.