Soon-to-be State Senator Chap Petersen has a new post discussing Virginia’s role in addressing global climate change. It’s refreshing that we’re actually talking broadly and ambitiously about the state’s role in resolving the issues of global warming. Only a few years ago it would have seemed a strange notion that the state can play an active part in addressing a global problem. But the renewed political commitment across this country has been so strong that I believe, given the right conditions, the will is there to achieve something truly meaningful.
It’s my opinion that a very simple first step would be to extend the 10% ethanol requirements for retail gas to all parts of Virginia, not just Richmond and the urban areas of NoVA and Hampton Roads. But as you might recall, Tim Kaine already tried to get this done but the provision was stripped from last year’s energy bill by the Republican Assembly. This is what is at stake in this fall’s election. If we win, the Senate will be in Democratic hands and passionate environmental advocates like Chap Petersen will lead the charge to placing Virginia at the forefront of this effort for our future. But if we lose, the issue will likely be buried for another 4 years.
