Chesapeake Currents|online, Summer 2010

The BP Gulf of Mexico oil disaster has pointed out again the economic and environmental insanity of policies that allow or even subsidize technologies that are virtually guaranteed to fail. The Obama Administration seems to be reversing itself, or at least slowing down, on a decision to support offshore oil drilling. That may be nowhere more important than in Virginia, where Governor McDonnell seems determined to push for drilling in the Atlantic regardless of the lessons of the Gulf disaster. Clean Water Action has campaigned to oppose drilling off of Virginia's coast, since the 1980s, and there may be yet another need to oppose Virginia legislative efforts in the 2011 session.

Similarly, the McDonnell Administration may wish to push uranium mining which has been banned in the Commonwealth since the 1980s.

Policies that accelerate the use of energy efficient products, and generating energy through wind, solar and other renewable energy approaches are the quickest and cleanest ways to reduce dependence on greenhouse gas emitting fuels such as oil, gas and coal. In addition to reducing the impacts of climate change, clean and renewable fuels will save money, create jobs and improve environmental health in Virginia.