Energy prices are expected to soar by almost a third this winter. If Virginia voters don’t want future winters to be even worse, they need to help pass Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R-VA) energy plan.
As bad as energy costs are expected to be on the East Coast, they are expected to be far worse in Europe, where for decades, left-of-center governments have prioritized decarbonization over resiliency and affordability. The result is a fragile energy sector that was easy for Russian President Vladimir Putin to manipulate. European consumers are now paying the price for the hubris of their leaders.
YOUNGKIN ENERGY PLAN CALLS FOR LEGISLATION TO DITCH CALIFORNIA VEHICLE STANDARDS
It doesn’t have to be like that in Virginia. Instead of blindly pursuing rapid decarbonization at the expense of flexibility and affordability, Youngkin recently proposed an all-of-the-above energy approach in Lynchburg that includes investments in natural gas, nuclear, and renewables.
While the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act requires the governor to produce a yearly energy planning document, Youngkin’s plan does not carry the force of law and would require action by the Virginia legislature, one house of which is controlled by Democrats.
Among the best items in Youngkin’s plan is his expansion of nuclear energy, including the development of a small modular reactor in southwestern Virginia within 10 years. Virginia already generates 29% of its energy from nuclear, a proportion that should increase as Virginia relies less on fossil fuels.
But Youngkin’s plan smartly recognizes that the transition away from coal and gas will take time. In the interim, the commonwealth must invest in critical natural gas pipelines to make sure power is both affordable and reliable.
Even more important is Youngkin’s proposal to delink Virginia’s vehicle standards from those issued by California. The Golden State already has the highest gasoline prices in the country, thanks to taxes and regulations, and the California Air Resources Board passed new regulations this summer that ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
The absurdity of this policy became apparent recently when California was forced to beg electric vehicle owners not to charge their vehicles so as to avoid blackouts to their electric grid. The Democrats in power before Youngkin took office passed a law in 2021 forcing Virginia to follow whatever crazy progressive environmental regulation California adopted without any additional approval from Virginia voters or legislators. In short, they outsourced the governance of their state.
Why is Virginia outsourcing its energy policy to a state with some of the most unaffordable and unreliable energy costs in the country? This is madness. Youngkin should press Virginia Democrats to defend this policy to their constituents.
If California wants to turn itself into a playground for the wealthy elite and their servants, that is up to its voters. But the middle-class families fleeing California’s high costs need some place to flee to. Virginia can make itself an affordable option for them — but only if Virginians reject the Californication of their state’s energy policy and embrace Youngkin’s strong, flexible, and affordable new vision.
