RICHMOND, VA – Longtime conservative leader, 2014 U.S. Senate candidate and 2017 Republican candidate for Governor Ed Gillespie released the following statement Tuesday on President Barack Obama’s executive action purporting to permanently ban deep-sea energy exploration in areas off Virginia’s coast.
“The purported permanent ban on oil and natural gas exploration off Virginia’s deep-sea coast is exactly the kind of Washington power grab that so many of us rejected in November. This unprecedented assertion of executive power could have real and lasting economic consequences on our Commonwealth, further delaying the good-paying jobs, economic growth and transportation revenue that would result from deep-sea energy exploration. As governor, I will strongly urge the Trump administration and Congressional leaders to explore every possible avenue to reverse this action and move quickly to allow Virginia to safely and responsibly develop the energy resources available to us.”