Governor McDonnell today announced the Commonwealth’s collaborative efforts to plan and address issues for facilitating vehicle electrification in the years ahead. Working together, state and local government entities, fleets, universities, utilities, civic organizations, vehicle manufacturers, and businesses are represented in the Virginia electrification effort with Virginia Clean Cities through the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready. During his campaign, McDonnell made transportation and innovative energy issues a priority, including emphasis on transportation fuel alternatives like natural gas and electricity as well as increased efficiency and smarter use of traditional energy sources such as oil.
…The Virginia “Get Ready” plan will be refined in the coming months. Government representation in the effort includes the Virginia Secretary of Transportation, the state Department of Mines Minerals and Energy, the Department of General Services, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, the US Department of Energy and Clean Cities program, Virginia Clean Cities, Fairfax County, Arlington County, Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield , James Madison University, and the University of Virginia.
Utility representation includes Dominion Power and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. Civic involvement includes Electric Vehicle Association of Washington DC, Richmond STIR, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, and Virginia Clean Cities. Business representation includes Nissan, Ford, Smith Electric Vehicles, the Advanced Vehicle Research Center, Richmond Segway, Evatran, Plugless Power, Aker Wade, Kollmorgen, Coulomb, and Encell.
…The Governor advocated for successful legislation this session of the General Assembly, patroned by Delegate Charles Poindexter (R-Rocky Mount), to add improvement of infrastructure such as refueling stations as a goal of the Alternative Fuels Revolving Fund. That bill can be found here: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+sum+HB806
For more information about the Virginia electrification effort, please visit: http://hrccc.org/get-ready/