Dominion: Ruling has no impact on regional power line project

Wednesday’s decision by a panel of federal judges will not affect a controversial, multistate power line that will pass through northern Culpeper County, a Dominion spokeswoman says.

Dominion and Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Co. recently won approval from the State Corporation Commission to construct the Virginia portion of the transmission line. It would run about 240 miles from Pennsylvania through northern Virginia and on to West Virginia. About six miles would pass through northern Culpeper County along U.S. 211 in the South Wales area.

“That project has already been approved by three states,” said Le-Ha Anderson. The Piedmont Environmental Council is challenging in the Virginia Supreme Court.

This week, the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond sided with the PEC and several states, reversing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s interpretation of laws governing federal government jurisdiction over large electric infrastructure projects.

Earlier this month, the Culpeper County Planning Commission dealt a small setback to the project, rejecting a temporary use permit application to allow a 7-acre staging area for the project in the same area.