Dominion Energy, a multibillion-dollar energy developer, has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic Virginia Senator Tim Kaine’s campaign while actively promoting a massive offshore wind project. Dominion Energy’s political action committee (PAC) has contributed $23,000 to Kaine for Virginia since 2011, with the latest contribution of $1,500 made in February. The PAC has also given another $44,500 to Common Ground PAC, the leadership PAC affiliated with and chaired by Kaine. Since 2021, Dominion Energy executives, including CEO Robert Blue and Senior Vice President William Murray, have given $19,600 to Kaine’s campaign. The company has also made payments totaling $3,000 to the campaign via lobbyists that it has contracted.
Dominion Energy is preparing to develop Virginia’s first offshore wind farm, known as Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW). This project includes two pilot wind turbines and is expected to be fully operational with 176-205 turbines over 112,800 acres by 2026. Senator Kaine has been a vigorous proponent of the project, which would be the most significant offshore wind development in the country. He has urged federal regulators to fast-track its permitting process and successfully secured millions of dollars in funding for supporting projects.
Kaine has received criticism for accepting contributions from Dominion Energy while publicly advocating for the company’s projects. However, the Senator’s spokesperson refuted the accusations, stating that campaign contributions do not affect his decision-making or the projects he supports. The spokesperson highlighted that Kaine makes decisions based on his personal research and conscience.
The offshore wind industry has faced criticisms due to its potential negative impact on marine wildlife, including commercial fisheries, shipping vessels, and maritime communications. The Pentagon has also warned that the industry could impede naval operations. Nonetheless, Dominion Energy’s spokesperson, Ryan Frazier, has emphasized that offshore wind development enjoys bipartisan support in Virginia and federally. The company has engaged with commercial fishermen and the U.S. military since the project’s inception, and the federal permitting process considers all environmental impacts.
BOEM recently published a draft environmental impact statement, which backs Dominion Energy’s CVOW proposal, paving the way for final approval. In December 2021, Senator Kaine announced that he and fellow Democratic Virginia Senator Mark Warner had secured $20 million in federal funding for improvements to the Portsmouth Marine Terminal, establishing it as a staging area for supporting the CVOW construction and development.
In conclusion, Dominion Energy’s political action committee has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Senator Tim Kaine’s campaign while the company aggressively promotes a massive offshore wind project. While the offshore wind industry faces criticisms about its potential negative impact on marine wildlife and naval operations, Senator Kaine has been a vocal supporter of Dominion Energy’s CVOW project. Despite the criticism, Dominion Energy’s spokesperson has reassured that the project has bipartisan support and aims to provide economic opportunities, create jobs and offer clean energy for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Original Story at www.foxnews.com – 2023-05-06 08:50:00
