Virginia veto of offshore lobby bill holds

The Virginia Senate on April 6 sustained the last veto of Gov. Mark R. Warner’s four-year term, killing a bill that would have required Virginia to lobby Congress for expanded oil and gas drilling off its Atlantic shore.

The Senate voted 16-20 against overriding the veto during the April 6 one-day reconvened session to consider bills Warner returned to legislators. That was nine yes votes short of the 25 necessary to make the bill law over Warner’s veto.

The Democratic governor will leave office in January without ever having a veto overturned. April 6 was his final legislative interaction with the Republican-dominated General Assembly.

Sen. Frank Wagner’s bill would have obligated the administration to lobby Congress on behalf of a proposed measure to open up the Atlantic Coast to petroleum exploration.

Environmental groups vigorously opposed the measure. Warner, however, based his veto on two objections: legislative intrusion into executive prerogatives and the questionable wisdom of advocating for federal legislation that hasn’t even been written.

In arguing to override the veto, Wagner said Virginia risked losing an enormous opportunity to cultivate jobs and rein in soaring energy costs by pushing for a more aggressive energy policy.

“Not only is there a moratorium now on drilling and exploring, there’s even a moratorium against surveying,” said Wagner, R-Virginia Beach.

The bill would extend Virginia’s jurisdiction over drilling from three miles off shore to 40 miles for natural gas and to 60 miles for oil. Better yet, he said, state government stands to take in about $3.5 billion a year in royalties for petroleum and gas produced within its waters.

He dismissed pollution concerns, arguing that the same exploration has been allowed off Canada’s rugged eastern coast for years without incident. In the Gulf of Mexico, he said, areas near oil rigs yield the richest fisheries.

Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, said it was foolish to advocate for a bill that doesn’t yet exist. She said the issue needs more study and noted that the General Assembly has already commissioned one.

“We need to consider the impact this would have on coastal communities that are very dependent on tourism,” Whipple said.

—The Associated Press