In an effort to better educate Virginians about the upcoming General Assembly session, we are presenting a series of live blog interviews with various Delegates and State Senators throughout December.

We are specifically inviting legislators who are introducing bills of special interest to Virginia’s environmental community.

Kicking off our “live blog” series is Virginia Beach Delegate Joe Bouchard on Dec. 1, 2008 beginning at 5:00pm.

Delegate Bouchard serves on the Governor’s Climate Change Commission. He will be here on Dec. 1, 2008 starting at 5:00pm to take your questions regarding that work, its potential for legislation finding its way into the 2009 General Assembly session, and what he looks forward to seeing happen in Virginia with the Obama administration.

Post your questions for Delegate Bouchard in the comments section ahead of time. Then, if you can, please return here when Delegate Bouchard will be here live to answer questions.

As I wrote about here in August, clearing all legislative hurdles, Delmarva Power inked a deal with Blue Water Wind whereby a wind farm will be constructed off Rehoboth Beach, DE.

Last month came news that New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm took another step forward when a state agency awarded a $4 million grant to Garden State Offshore Energy to build a facility  off Ocean City, NJ. A grid of 96 turbines will generate enough juice for 125,000 homes- the first of the turbines could begin generating power by 2012.

Meanwhile in Virginia, on Wednesday this week, Minerals Management Service Director Randall Luthi will announces the first of a multi-step process for oil and gas leasing offshore Virginia. Instead of wind farms, Virginia Beach gets offshore rigs, pipelines, and stinky refineries. Instead of tapping into the Class 3 and higher winds that could easily power over 20% of the Commonwealth, and is part of a clean energy economic push that stands to bring in more than 4 times as many jobs to the Commonwealth than anything brought in via the oil/gas industry, Virginia is going to pursue a practice that contributes greatly to global warming and the sea level rise that will cause Hampton Roads to be underwater and that much more vulnerable to storm surges.

Now that’s certainly moving Virginia forward…. NOT!