Statement of U.S. Sen. Warner & Kaine on Interior Department’s Mid-Atlantic Offshore Plan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement on the U.S. Interior Department’s release today on the 2017-2022 draft strategy for offshore oil and gas leasing. Sens. Warner and Kaine  introduced the Virginia Outer Continental Shelf Energy Production Act, which provided for revenue sharing for Virginia and participating coastal states:

"This is a significant step in a multi-year process that should result in the safe, responsible development of energy resources off the Virginia and mid-Atlantic coasts. This draft leasing plan from the Interior Department includes appropriate environmental reviews and opportunities for public hearings before any lease sales would occur. It does not, however, allow Virginia or other Atlantic coastal states to share in any of the revenue from energy resources developed offshore. We will continue to push for legislation to allow Virginia to have the same revenue-sharing system currently applied to Gulf Coast states.”

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