A few minutes ago, I received the following "action network" alert from the Virginia Sierra Club:
Dear Lowell,Tomorrow, the Commerce and Labor Committee of the House of Delegates will be voting on the controversial Virginia Energy Plan (SB262) which includes support for offshore drilling, coal, and nuclear power If this bill passes out of committee, the entire House of Delegates will be voting on the legislation, and then it could go to the Governor's desk.
Problem: Senator Wagner's (R-Va Beach) legislation would do the following:
*Urges Congress to remove protection from Virginia and end the 25 year bipartisan moratorium protecting our coast from offshore natural gas drilling.
*Subsidize the nuclear and liquified natural gas industry by using taxpayer dollars to find "optimal" sites for these facilities. Any optimal site would be eligible for streamlined permitting and arbitrarily deemed to satisfy local zoning requirements, thus circumventing local participation in these decisions. North Anna and Surry Nuclear facilities would be automatically deemed ?optimal? for new reactors, despite concerns by the Department of Environmental Quality!
*The legislation includes very minimal energy efficiency provisions - very weak language asking Congress to minimaly raise fuel economy standards and to do energy efficiency analysis of new public buildings. The rest of the legislation is a windfall for the energy industry, at the expense of citizens - all in the name of energy independence..
Solution:
Many of our legislators are concerned that they do not know enough about this legislation. Their concerns are well founded. Many of you may have already told your legislators how to vote on this already, however, they need to hear from you again!
Action Needed:
Follow the link below to send a message to your state legislators!
Deadline for responding: Please take action by Saturday, March 04, 2006.
For more information on why you should oppose this bill if you care about Virginia's environment, click here to find out why the Virginia League of Conservation Voters also opposes the bill.