Spanberger creates chief energy officer position, appoints Charlottesville attorney

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has created a new cabinet-level position focused on lowering energy costs -- and she has selected a Charlottesville attorney to fill the role.

The governor's office announced on Wednesday, March 25, the appointment of Josephus Allmond, an attorney and advocate with experience in energy and environmental justice, to the chief energy officer position. The role was created via an executive order to combat "myriad challenges across the electricity sector" in Virginia, including a 36% rise in electricity rates over the past five years.

Per the executive order, the chief energy officer will work to keep energy affordable and ensure the commonwealth meets long-term clean energy goals through cooperation with other secretariats and departments. Other responsibilities include developing a statewide energy strategy, working with utility providers to address rising energy costs and bringing in investments into Virginia.

Allmond recently served as a staff attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), where he gained experience in utility regulatory cases litigation before the State Corporation Commission (SCC). He also has environmental justice advocacy and legislative expertise through his work on virtual power plants, distributed generation expansion and storage expansion.

Josephus Allmond will serve as the inaugural chief energy officer for Virginia. (Photo: Office of the Governor)

Allmond was named to the 40 under 40 for Young, Gifted and Green. He received his juris doctor from the Duke University School of Law; a master's degree in climate science and solution and a bachelor of arts in political science from Northern Arizona University; and an associate of arts from Butte College.