2021 VA Governor's race: on Energy & Oil
Jennifer Carroll Foy:
Tax credit for commercial buildings that go green
My administration will invest $3 million to spearhead a tax credit for commercial buildings that go green, including nonresidential buildings or interior buildings and eligible retrofitted entities.
I will continue to provide funding for green renovations to existing government buildings, roadways, and bridges.
These types of retrofitting and clean construction projects will create jobs for Virginians in every region. I'll invest in green energy production, bringing high paying jobs to the
Commonwealth, protect funding for state parks, safeguard additional land for public use, and pass the Virginia Green New Deal.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign site JenniferCarrollFoy.com
Feb 21, 2021
Jennifer Carroll Foy:
Expand training for workers interested in solar careers
I will direct funding to the Solar Hands-On Instructional Network of Excellence (SHINE) and other programs to expand education and training for workers interested in solar careers. We will allocate an additional $2 million annually to ensure these
programs maximize job creation amidst Virginia's transition to a clean energy economy. I will work with community colleges to secure the capital needed to fund workforce development credits with a focus on solar and offshore wind workforce programs.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign site JenniferCarrollFoy.com
Feb 21, 2021
Jennifer McClellan:
Ensure environmental justice policies underlie decisions
We are at a critical point in the fight against climate change and addressing environmental justice. We must transition from fossil fuels and pollutants that harm the planet while championing industries in a way that does not leave workers behind.
And we must ensure environmental justice policies underlie all decisions that impact our environment and communities.
She led the fight in the Senate to pass the landmark Virginia Clean Economy Act--the most significant climate bill in Virginia history--to make Virginia the first Southern state with a 100% Clean Energy Standard and create tens of thousands of jobs.
She also passed the Solar Freedom Act, which democratizes solar energy and removes barriers on local governments, residents, and businesses to harness solar power for their own use.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website JennMcClellanVA.com
Feb 18, 2021
Jennifer McClellan:
Worked to pass the Virginia Clean Economy Act
In the legislature, Jenn has worked to grow Virginia jobs and foster new industries, including: creating benefit corporations to make Virginia a hub of social entrepreneurship, removing red tape for local craft breweries to enable them to create jobs,
and passing the Virginia Clean Economy Act to make Virginia a national leader in the clean energy sector by creating thousands of clean energy jobs across the Commonwealth.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website JennMcClellanVA.com
Feb 18, 2021
Terry McAuliffe:
Facilitate development of new clean energy technologies
Terry will champion bold and progressive initiatives that will protect our environment, allow Virginia to achieve its 100% Clean Energy Standard, decarbonize the transportation sector and lift up historically disadvantaged communities that have been
impacted the most. During his administration, Terry made key strides including joining the U.S. Climate Alliance and committing to upholding the Paris Climate Agreement.Terry will continue to champion progressive and innovative solutions to
solidify our clean energy future including creating clean schools, facilitating the development of new clean energy technologies, incentivizing existing clean energy technologies, lifting up rural economies,
improving energy efficiency and championing decarbonization efforts. He will also begin to decarbonize our roads by incentivizing the use of clean transportation in an equitable way.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website Terry McAuliffe.com
Dec 22, 2020
Terry McAuliffe:
Facilitate development of new clean energy technologies
[In Buttigieg's remarks to the press after President-elect Biden announced his nomination as Transportation Secretary]: "Travel in my mind is synonymous with growth, with adventure -- even love. So much so that I proposed to my husband
Chasten in an airport terminal," he said. "Don't let anybody tell you that O'Hare isn't romantic."O'Hare Airport wasted no time leaning into that title.
The airport changed its official Twitter bio shortly after to a "place of romance" and tweeted a thank you at Buttigieg:
"Thank you for appreciating all the connections we make possible, @PeteButtigieg," the tweet read. "Looking forward to working with you as we continue to make our airport lovable for decades to come."]
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website Terry McAuliffe.com
Dec 22, 2020
Glenn Youngkin:
Energy plan is all of the above, not just renewables
I announced an energy plan which is all of the above. We've got to embrace all of it. It's not reducing an emphasis on renewables, wind and solar. It's correcting an error that was made in the previous administration's energy plan,
which was to exclude everything else. We're going to have to adopt all of them in order to get where we want to be, which is reliable, affordable, and a clean power stack.
Source: CNN SOTU interviews on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race
Oct 9, 2022
Jennifer McClellan:
Supported Virginia Clean Economy Act; promote efficiency
The Virginia Clean Economy Act institutes new measures to promote energy efficiency, sets a schedule for closing old fossil fuel power plants, and requires electricity to come from 100% renewable sources. "This is the most significant clean energy law
in Virginia's history," McClellan said. "The Act will create thousands of clean energy jobs, make major progress on fighting climate change, and break Virginia's reliance on fossil fuels."
Source: Daily Energy Insider on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race
Apr 15, 2020
Glenn Youngkin:
Shift from fossil fuels will increase electric bills
Youngkin said that the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act is "unworkable" and that he wouldn't have signed it. The law set a 2050 deadline for the grid to go carbon-free, mandated that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy propose large amounts of solar
and wind facilities, and imposed binding energy efficiency and renewable portfolio standards on both utilities, among other provisions.
He said Virginia should "embrace all aspects of power generation--wind, solar, nuclear and our clean-burning natural gas" and warned that accelerating the transition to renewables would result in "blackouts and brownouts and an unreliable energy grid."
He criticized the cost of shifting away from fossil fuels, saying it will increase customers' electric bills by up to $1,000 annually. (State regulators agree that it will raise rates but estimated a slightly lower rise of $800 a year.)
Source: Virginia Mercury on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial debate
Nov 1, 2021
Glenn Youngkin:
Climate change challenging, but doesn't know what causes it
Youngkin meanwhile has walked a careful line on the subject, despite a broad scientific consensus that carbon emissions are a primary driver of climate change. Youngkin said that while he knew climate change is a challenge, he didn't know what's
causing it. Asked if "humans play any role at all in the warming of the earth," he skirted the question and called it "one of these topics that, candidly, people are trying to use to divide people."
Source: Virginia Mercury on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial debate
Nov 1, 2021
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023