By Scott Harper

The Virginian-Pilot

© April 3, 2010

NORFOLK

Gov. Bob McDonnell flew to Old Dominion University by helicopter on Friday to sign into law nine bills that encourage alternative energy development across the state, including wind power off the Virginia coast.

The Republican governor and former Virginia Beach resident chose ODU for the signing ceremony because of its leadership in studying offshore wind potential and researching other green energies.

The ceremony came during a busy energy-themed week for Virginia, notably the announcement Wednesday by President Barack Obama that oil and gas drilling can move forward off the Virginia coast - a policy for which McDonnell and other state lawmakers had lobbied.

Also this week, environmentalists chastised McDonnell for quitting the Governors' Wind Energy Coalition, a group of 28 states that former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine had joined to encourage wind farms on land and at sea.

McDonnell told the group in a Monday letter that he was opposed to its stance favoring mandatory renewable-energy portfolios that power companies would have to maintain. Virginia instead sets voluntary goals for companies in using more solar, wind, biomass and other renewable sources.

"I request that Virginia be removed from the membership of the Coalition, effective immediately, and that my name and the Commonwealth's affiliation be removed from further publications by the organization and the organization's website," he wrote.

At the same time, McDonnell pledged to keep working for wind energy through a new organization, established by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, called the Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium.

Among the measures McDonnell signed into law Friday:

A $500 tax credit for every green job created with a salary over $50,000, applicable for up to four years and for up to 350 jobs per company.

Establishing a new Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority, with 11 citizen members who will seek money, recommend research and break down regulatory barriers to building wind turbines off the coast.

Allowing natural-gas companies to recover costs for upgrading pipelines and other equipment, moves that will make such systems more efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Creating a new Virginia Universities Clean Energy Development and Economic Stimulus Foundation. This body would "look to commercialize" many of the green technologies being tested and researched at state universities, McDonnell said.

Most of the bills easily passed the General Assembly this year, and almost all of them rely on incentives and tax breaks instead of government mandates - a business-friendly approach that McDonnell promised to pursue as a candidate last year.

The bills, McDonnell said at a reception at the ODU Innovation Research Park, "advance our shared goal for promoting energy independence."

The governor was flanked by Democratic and Republican lawmakers who championed the bills.

Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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