Coalition takes on energy development

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Virginia's list of firsts could be getting longer.

A new organization announced in Virginia Beach Friday is leading the way to make it happen: The Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition , a group organized to help Virginia lead the way in developing energy off the American coast.

"We are sitting in the perfect place in the region and have a robust energy grid, that comes into VB and take that energy all across the Commonwealth, and the country," Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms told WAVY.com after a news conference at City Hall.

Sessoms helped to unveil the coalition comprised of himself, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim and industrial/energy leaders in the Hampton Roads region.

With states from Maine to South Carolina competing to be number one, Coalition Vice Chairman Josh Prueher predicted 20,000 jobs along the east coast as a result of offshore wind energy -- half of those in Virginia if the Hampton Roads region is the first to build. "Its time has come," Prueher said. "It makes enormous sense for HR and VA to be the nations leader in off shore wind."

The potential for power, according to the coalition, is 3,000 megawatts per year, enough to power one million homes. "This is an industry that you build these things for 20 years and they last for another 50 years, it requires you to think big things longterm, but its good for the environment, good for the economy--it's really one of those rare win-win situations."

One drawback is the lengthy three-year permit process just to get started. That's where federal assistance from Rep. Glenn Nye, (D) 2nd District, comes in.

Nye's job is to help eliminate red tape and get a green light.

"We're trying to get every federal agency to tell us now rather than later if they're going to have a problem with off shore wind development, if they have anything to say about it or potential challenge, let us know now so we can navigate that process and solve those challenges and not wait until we get 2-3 years into this process and say, 'Wait we have a red flag we have an issue we want to raise,'" Nye said.

The organization hopes Nye can help Virginia and Hampton Roads compete for federal research dollars and hopefully attract supply and logistics chains to launch the project and bring jobs to the region in a major way.