Believing Dominion’s proposal represented the wrong direction for the Commonwealth, Virginians for a Sensible Energy Policy (VSEP) was organized to work in opposition to the power company’s transmission line plan.

Recently, VSEP has become concerned that many people in the Piedmont region, who were originally active in opposing Dominion, have become “complacent”. VSEP leadership says the attitude comes from Dominion‘s change in its proposed routing --- from the initial proposal to run the line along I-66 to the current “southern route” that bypasses northern parts of Faquier County.

In a recent communications, VSEP warns that concern by Faquier County residents is still warranted.

“Base on recent developments and the nature of the SCC process, the I-66 route is now a very real possibility,” VSEP said in an email this week.

Virginia’s Commitment advocates against the construction of the transmission line along any route. Similarly, VSEP emphasizes that it does not advocate a particular alignment.

Some of VSEP’s key points from its email:

• Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality recently submitted testimony to the SCC summarizing the input from all the State agencies impacted by the proposed power lines. Of the five agencies which expressed opinions on routing, four recommended the I-66 Route. Those agencies include the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Only the Department of Historic Resources expressed a preference for the Southern Route.
• The firm of Burns and McDonnell prepared the “Routing Study and Environmental Assessment” for Dominion and submitted that document as testimony to the SCC. This study will be the foundation analysis for all routing testimony in the SCC hearing. Burns and McDonnell evaluated 16 criteria in their study. Of the 14 criteria where there was a difference between the Southern Route and the I-66 Route, 10 of them favored the I-66 route. Those include key factors such as cost ($95 million cheaper), new right-of-way taken (10x less), residences impacted (3x less) and virtually all the environmental criteria e.g. impacted wetlands, forests, agricultural lands and Ag/Forestal Districts.
• The battle over power lines in Leesburg has gone on for three years with multiple alignment revisions. That case has clearly demonstrated that anything can happen once the case gets to the SCC – including a denial of Dominion’s “preferred” alignment and the addition of entirely new routes. Further, the SCC is statutorily restricted in its ability to consider the issues of view shed and property damage that those of us who enjoy this part of the Piedmont find so important.