| I just returned from Governor Bob McDonnell's press conference on how to best address rising gas prices. One thing is clear, Bob McDonnell's proposed energy policy is a bonanza for corporate polluters and represents a return to the dark ages.
McDonnell never mentioned a real solution to higher gas prices. Never did he suggest we should find ways to drive less. Never did he suggest we should have more fuel efficient automobiles. No, Bob McDonnell's solution is to drill off our coastline and hope for the best.
Governor McDonnell's solution to high gas prices is to do more of the same and expect a different result. The pain that Virginians are feeling each time we pull up to the pump is real, and it deserves real solutions. Unfortunately, the Governor and Congressional Republicans seem to think there is a silver bullet lying off our shores.
Lowering gas prices is not going to occur overnight, but we must take an approach that cuts off our oil addiction rather than feed it. To reduce our dependence on oil we must increase the efficiency of the vehicles we drive, reduce the amount we drive and invest in the clean burning fuels of today, not the polluting fuels of yesterday.
The good news is Virginia businesses are poised to lead the way. From the Edison 2 based in Lynchburg, VA which gets over 100 miles per gallon of gasoline to Red Birch Energy in Danville that has successfully converted canola seeds into clean biodiesel Virginia's innovators are the real solution.
The choice before Governor McDonnell is whether to invest in the future of Virginia by bringing real solutions up to scale, or continue trying to pull the wool over our eyes with the false hope of offshore drilling.
My guess is he'll try to pull the wool over your eyes. |
