Sen. Jim Webb (D., Va.) joined his codelegate Mark Warner in supporting the Obama plan:

“Opening up Virginia’s offshore resources to natural gas and oil exploration holds significant promise for boosting needed domestic energy production, while at the same time, bolstering the Commonwealth’s economy,” said Senator Webb. “Support among Virginia’s political leadership for developing the resources 50 miles off of our coast is strong. This policy should be coupled with a fair and equitable formula for profit-sharing between the federal and state government in order to attract well-paying jobs to the Commonwealth and support a range of projects, from clean energy development to transportation infrastructure to coastal restoration.”

While Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.) broke with codelegate Barbara Mikulski’s opposition:

“Our nation desperately needs a comprehensive energy policy that will lessen our dependence on foreign oil. I applaud the President for putting forward such a plan that includes renewable sources, nuclear energy, and developing oil and gas resources on existing leases, but I object to expanding off-shore drilling. The oil companies already have over 60 million domestic acres of leased area that could be drilled today, but they sit idle. We need to explore and drill currently held lands before risking permanent damage to some of our nation’s most sensitive environmental areas, including the Chesapeake Bay,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee. “Before drilling begins on any new areas, there must be comprehensive environmental and economic studies completed to assess the dangers to affected states. Spills happen with even the most responsible drilling, but spilled oil does not stop at the state border. The entire region must have a say before starting any activity that puts our fisheries, seafood and tourism industries in jeopardy.”