Virginia - Friday, 5 September 2008
Editor, Times-Dispatch: It is clear that America stands at a crossroads with regard to formulating a new energy policy. Both presidential candidates have made the issue a major topic on the campaign trail as high energy prices have hampered our economy and hurt families and businesses across our country. What we need is an energy policy that advocates environmental responsibility and allows for abundant and cost-effective energy -- the hallmark of any prosperous economy.
With that in mind, it was promising to see some of the conclusions Gov. Tim Kaine had regarding energy policy after he came out of a recent meeting with other Southern governors. Kaine said some Southern states were offering tax incentives for alternative sources of energy and were forging ahead with the development of new technologies like coal-to-liquid fuel. These are exactly the types of actions that our leaders need to be encouraging.
Achieving energy independence would go a long way towards stimulating our economy, and to achieve energy independence we need to fully utilize the resources that are at our disposal. For Virginia that means fully employing the coal reserves that are so abundant in our state and region.
Coal currently accounts for half of the energy generated in the United States, so it makes sense that it would continue to be a mainstay of energy generation in America as we move forward. By investing even further in the development of clean-coal technologies we can ensure that high-paying, coal-related jobs remain in our state for years to come, benefiting our economy and our environment.
- James M. Shuler, House of Delegates, 12th District.
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