Approximately 200 people turned out Tuesday to hear the three contenders for the Democratic nomination for governor — Creigh Deeds, Brian Moran and Terry McAuliffe — in a forum at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research.
The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and the Danville Register & Bee were hosts of the forum, which was moderated by Danville’s former Mayor Linwood Wright and Bob Gibson, executive director of the Sorensen Institute.
The forum is part of an ongoing series of events the Sorensen Institute sponsors in Danville.
On uranium
•McAuliffe said public safety is the No. 1 issue. He said we have to protect the environment, but he supports a study to determine whether uranium mining can be done safely. Mining and milling at Coles Hill could provide “40 years worth of jobs,” he said.
•Moran said “This is one you can’t get wrong.” There are water sources near Coles Hill, and the study must be independent, objective and not paid for by those who stand to profit from mining, he said.
• Deeds said he has serious reservations about whether uranium can be safely mined but said he supports the study to determine that.
On regional cooperation
•McAuliffe said he would work with North Carolina on regional projects that stretch into the state. However, he said his first focus is on getting jobs for Virginia. He added he would be competing with 49 other governors to bring jobs to his state.
•You’re only as strong as your region, Moran said. Working on all levels — local, state and federal — is important for economic development. He said he supports universal broadband and expansion of transportation and educational infrastructure. Bordering states can work together, and roads don’t end at the county border, he said.
•Deeds said he represents Bath County, which has fewer than 5,000 people. “If we didn’t do anything regionally, we wouldn’t get anything done,” he said, adding that you have to work across state lines.
On stimulus funding for energy
•McAuliffe said he supports a smart grid and a mandatory renewable energy standard in Virginia.
•Moran said he was the first gubernatorial candidate to call for a mandate requiring that one-quarter of energy in Virginia come from renewable sources. Moran opposes drilling off the coast of Virginia, and he said we need to build windmills in the state and offer solar tax credits.
•Deeds said energy independence is a matter of national security. He said the state needs to invest in research, and he supports building a wind farm off the coast of Virginia.
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