Virginia Governor-Elect Bob McDonnell has written a letter to the country's Secretary of the Interior urging no further delay in allowing offshore drilling in Atlantic Coast waters.
Some Democrats are urging further caution, though. McDonnell's letter said by allowing the state to lease offshore rights to energy companies, the federal government will help Virginia create more than 2,500 new jobs in a 10-year period. That comes from a forecast from Old Dominion University in 2005. McDonnell also said it could potentially generate $7.8 billion in capital investments.
He said it appears the federal government has not made any progress toward opening the bidding since the public comment period ended a year ago. McDonnell also said he knows of several companies that are interested in placing bids.
Virginia Delegate Bob Brink, a Democrat from Arlington, hopes McDonnell reconsiders his stance.
"It's not an immediate quick fix to either our fiscal problems or our energy problems, and we need to look at it very carefully," Brink said.
Brink said the area in questions is valuable for tourism and fishing industries, and allowing drilling could hamper both.
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