Kaine seeks task force on offshore wind power

RICHMOND -- The governor made his first formal step in developing offshore wind resources, saying in a news release today that he has requested the formation of a federal-state-local task force.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine sent a letter this month to the U.S. Department of the Interior requesting the formation of the task force to guide and facilitate the leasing process of federal waters off the Virginia coast to develop wind power. The formation of the task force is the first step in developing the energy source in the Hampton Roads area, according to the release.

In June, a task force reported to Virginia Beach that an offshore wind farm in the city could create about 1,100 jobs and reduce the state's dependence on nonrenewable energy with minimal environmental impact.

Virginia is one of 10 states with a shallow-water resource base that could comparably meet state energy demand, and the availability of necessary wind resources and a low risk of major hurricane strikes are other factors conducive to a wind farm.

Economic projections can give only estimates on potential costs of the project, but the wind farm could cost upward of $1.5 billion, Neil Rondorf of the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium said in June.

"But you're not going to be paying fuel costs down the road, just maintenance and operating costs," he said.

In December 2008, Kaine launched Renew Virginia, a yearlong series of actions to promote renewable energy, creating green jobs and encouraging preservation of the environment. Developing offshore wind power was an important component and is included in the Virginia Energy Plan and the recommendations of the Governor's Commission on Climate Change, the news release said.

"With the great resources in the Hampton Roads region, Virginia has the added potential to be the manufacturing and economic center for this burgeoning green industry," Kaine said in the release.