Moran opposes coal plant in Surry

By: Tyler Whitley | Times-Dispatch
Published: January 23, 2009

Staking his claim as an environmental champion, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian J. Moran said yesterday that he opposes the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Surry County.

Moran recently came out against drilling for oil off Virginia's coast.

The former delegate from Alexandria said at a news conference yesterday that the proposed coal plant is "dangerously close" to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It also is too close to two of Virginia's major population centers -- the Richmond area and Hampton Roads -- and will contribute to global warming, he said.

To make his point, Moran held the news conference outside the Department of Environmental Quality headquarters in downtown Richmond. He delivered a letter to DEQ calling for an investigation of the plant's environmental impact.

He declined to say whether he also opposes a proposed coal-fired plant in Wise County that has drawn the fire of environmentalists. He opposes the Surry plant because the next governor will have to decide whether to allow it to go ahead, he said.

The governor cannot directly block a power plant, which is determined by a permit process. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has drawn the fire of environmentalists because he endorsed the Wise plant. However, Kaine had nothing to do with the permit process, a spokesman said.

Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for Moran, said Moran, as governor, could propose legislation to block the plant.

Old Dominion Electric Cooperative wants to build a $6 billion coal-fired plant in central Surry County near the community of Dendron. It is in the preliminary planning stages.

Moran was joined by Bob Burnley, director of DEQ under former Gov. Mark R. Warner. Burnley praised Moran for his stance.

"The Chesapeake Bay is dying," he said.

Moran is running against former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe of McLean and State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County in a June 9 Democratic primary.

Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or twhitley@timesdispatch.com.