Several James City County groups have banded together in a continued attempt to halt Dominion Virginia Power’s plans to build a high-voltage power line over the James River.
A petition launched online seeking 2,000 signatures in an effort to sway the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to host a public hearing on the proposed 500kV Surry-Skiffes Creek power line that would cross the James River on roughly 30-story towers.
“I picked 2,000, I could have easily picked 1,000. I won’t consider it a failure if we don’t get 2,000 … we really need a strong public outcry,” said Save the James Alliance member Margaret Fowler, who launched the petition. “I wrote the petition, but there has been a collaborative group of preservation, cultural and historic organizations that have coalesced in the last three weeks roughly since the hearing examiner’s report was released.”
The groups banded together to run against a clock ticking down to Sept. 27, the close of the Army Corps’ open public comment period.
As of 7:30 p.m. Friday, there were 200 signatures on the petition, including some names in James City County government: County Attorney Leo Rogers and County Administrator Robert Middaugh.
“The Dominion proposal to build an aerial crossing of the James River will have an adverse impact on unique historic assets of national interest. It will introduce structures into an actively utilized shipping artery as well. Other alternatives are available so these [impacts] are completely [unnecessary],” Middaugh wrote.
It is unclear whether the Army Corps knows the petition is ongoing. Fowler said she had not informed the Corps and the public comment point-of-contact Randy Steffey was not reachable by phone Friday.
Fowler said Steffey told her previously if the review of the issue became too complex, it may be reviewed at a different level. Fowler and some of the other groups represented in the petition group have been in conversations with Steffey and the Army Corps for about a year. Fowler said Steffey has taken no position on the matter, but she believes he is well prepared for a vocal opposition.
The Army Corps will decide to issue permits for the proposed power lines, and the decision to issue the permit will be based on possible impact caused by the line. Fowler said Steffey told her the ongoing State Corporation Commission case will have no bearing on whether the permits are issued.
Related Coverage:
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- SCC Examiner Recommends Over-the-James River Power Line
- JCC Submits Court Petition to Block Proposed Power Line Over James River
- Closing Briefs Filed in Dominion Overhead Power Line SCC Case
- JCC Denies Site Plan Approval for Dominion’s Skiffes Creek Station; Still No Application Submitted for SUP
- SCC Hearing Concludes for Power Line Case
- JCC Offer to Purchase Land for Dominion Not Rooted in Prior County Discussion
- Power Line Hearing: JCC Offers to Buy Land, Questions Veracity of Dominion Research
- Evidentiary Hearing on Proposed Overhead Powerline to Begin Today
- JCC Supes to Vote on More Funding for Fight Against Dominion
- Officials Unsure Retrofitting Entire Yorktown Power Station is an Option
- SCC Changes Hearing Examiner, Date for Dominion Power Line Case
- GA Subcommittee to Send Letter Opposing Proposed Power Lines
- Chickahominy Chief Says Overland Power Line Would Harm Tribal Grounds
- Is Burying Proposed Power Line Across James an Option?
