Bob is for… a green fleet?
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, on his monthly “Ask the Governor” appearance on WRVA Richmond, said Thursday that the state is, indeed, eyeing natural gas for the state’s vehicle fleet as a way to save money.
“We think in the long run, it’s going to be cheaper,” he said. “There are some conversion costs, [and] I’m looking at natural gas because the price of natural gas is so low, the new discoveries of natural gas in America have been dramatic and it’s about 60 percent of the carbon footprint of oil, so we’re looking at… a fleet conversion.”
The General Assembly this past session passed a bill directing the administration to develop a plan providing for the replacement of vehicles in the centralized fleet with ones that operate using alternative fuel.
McDonnell has been heavily involved in energy issues, seeking an “all of the above” approach for the state that includes wind, solar, coal, and — yes — offshore drilling.
One year ago, the Obama administration paved the way for oil and natural gas exploration off of Virginia’s coast starting in 2012 — a move that was halted in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
With gas prices hitting $4 a gallon across the country, the issue has recently become a political football on Capitol Hill, with the Republican-led House passing bills to expand offshore drilling, and Democrats in the Senate pushing to close corporate tax loopholes for large oil companies.
A bill that would direct the administration to re-open lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and off of Virginia’s coast has failed in the Senate, however.
“We need to use all of Virginia’s God-given resources, and frankly all of America’s resources to achieve energy independence,” said McDonnell. “I know that we have some challenges in the Gulf, but there’s been a year of study and evaluation…and I think we need to get back on track.”
