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Subscriber Alert:

The Issue: A new power line is being proposed to run through the middle of our hunt territory.

Maps of the affected areas can be found here.

Dominion wants to use the existing power line route. That runs right through:

Windrush
Frank Pearl's to
Marriott Ranch.

The proposed towers would be twice as big as the ones that now exist shown here (right).

What we are doing:

In addition to raising money and hiring a lawyer (see below) We are have recently held a Joint Meet with the Casanova Hunt to benefit the PLA as well as a silent auction. We raised over $29,000 in this effort in a Joint meet that saw the subscribers to 3 other hunts joint us to raise money and awareness in this effort. Images from the meet may be found here.

About the PLA:

The Power-line Landowners Alliance (PLA) was organized in June of 2007 to represent landowners whose property is crossed by, adjacent to and in the viewshed of the proposed 500 kV transmission line proposed by Dominion Power. This follows the existing line than runs from Front Royal in Warren, through NW Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Southern Fauquier and Prince William Counties. The PLA agrees with other organizations such as the Piedmont Environmental Council that the line is not needed and should not be built anywhere. However, no other organization was specifically looking out for the interest of the landowners described above so the PLA was formally organized, began a successful $150,000 fund raising effort, retained an attorney and a professional real estate appraiser. In August the PLA formally intervened on behalf of its constituents before the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). The PLA's case will argue that constructing another line would cause severe hardships on the three categories of landowners described above in terms of financial, historic, scenic and environmental impacts and do serious damage to land in Conservation Easements and Agricultural and Forestal Districts. The PLA has submitted testimony to the SCC in each of these areas.

When the initial fund raising goal of $150,000 was announced it was also stated that another $150,000 would be necessary to see the case through to its conclusion. That's what the current fund raising campaign, including the benefit joint meet with Old Dominion Hounds and the Casanova Hunt, is for. Much has been accomplished and our case is looking better all the time.

The purpose:

The Power-line Landowners Alliance, or PLA, was organized to stop Dominion Virginia Power Company from imposing a second power-line on landowners in Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper and Prince William counties, as well as the town of Warrenton.

Here’s what we’ve done so far:

Raised money
Hired a lawyer in Richmond
Intervened as a respondent before the State Corporation Commission (SCC)
Opened fruitful communications and cooperation with other opponents
Hired an appraiser to asses the true economic damage to landowners
Developed evidence of adverse non-economic impacts of the power-line

So how are we doing? We think we are making real progress and we also think the project is in doubt:

First. PLA has developed an impressive group of witnesses (all volunteer with the exception of the professional appraiser) to make our case to the SCC that Dominion’s project will have unreasonable impacts.

Second. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ, has submitted a report requested by the SCC indicating that the power-line should not be built along the proposed route.

Third. Our allies at PEC have developed strong evidence that Dominion can solve whatever problem it has by means of several alternatives that don’t require a new 500kV power line.

Fourth. The SCC’s staff has revealed that they understand that the impact of the proposed line will be severe and that Dominion may have alternatives it did not bring to the SCC.

So, we have reasons to be hopeful, but we don’t want to count our chickens too soon. Furthermore, we can’t do this alone. We need your help. What can you do? To begin with, look at the information we have about the power line’s impact on your property. Then, join, become involved with and contribute to the PLA.