Obama Snubs Va. on Gas and Oil Exploration, Costing the State ‘Thousands of New Jobs,’ Gov. McDonnell Says

By Susan Jones
November 9, 2011

(CNSNews.com) – Virginia’s two U.S. senators, both Democrats, and the commonwealth’s Republican governor are pressing the Obama administration to reconsider its decision to omit Virginia from its 5-year offshore drilling plan.
Some of the strongest criticism came from Gov. Bob McDonnell, chair of the Republican Governors’ Association, who’s been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate.
“Today’s decision will prevent the creation of thousands of new jobs for our citizens,” said McDonnell. “This is another glaring example of the abysmal failure of the Obama Administration to develop a comprehensive national energy policy. This failure is preventing our great nation from using all of its God-given natural resources and creating good jobs in the process; jobs our citizens desperately need and deserve.”

McDonnell says Virginia is “poised to become the ‘Energy Capital of the East Coast’” by responsibly developing nuclear, natural gas, coal, biomass, wind, solar, and offshore oil and gas.