Virginia is ripe for green reform

The title of the Oct. 7 article “Planning Commis-sion: Allow wind turbines” (The Daily Progress) brings up the crucial point that Virginia should not only allow more wind turbines, but should also be jumping at the chance to invest in this and other clean energy technologies.

Just as their name suggests, fossil fuels like oil and natural gas are stuck in the past. We need to end our addiction to fossil fuels, for a healthier planet, safer nation and better economy in the future.

Virginia is uniquely positioned to benefit from a clean energy economy: According to the Univers-ity of Massachusetts, renewable energy provisions in the U.S. House version of the clean energy package are projected to create more than 28,000 new jobs here in the commonwealth. Furthermore, we can meet 25 percent of the commonwealth’s electricity demands through offshore wind power alone (according to the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium).

The potential to repower Virginia is within our reach, but we need the U.S. Senate to pass strong clean energy legislation this fall. With such great renewable assets like offshore wind, Sen. Mark Warner and Jim Webb should be leading the charge.