Preliminary map of possible transmission routes from Dominion Power.Residents of Greater Haymarket have shared their concerns that the "New Road Alternative" power line route proposed by Dominion Power for their 230kV transmission line and substation project would traverse land that includes historic sites and neighborhoods.
The New Road Alternative line is 12.2 miles long and traverses from I-66 north to the Loudoun County line. It following a path adjacent to Route 15 and is situated west of that road.
Residents who are advocating against this plan have banded together and created a petition that can be found on the website protectpwc.org. Readers can sign a petition to keep the power lines away from Prince William homes.
The website notes that the residents are not advocating for another route that would impact other homeowners. Instead, they prefer the route along I-66, which they believe would have the least amount of impact on homeowners and historic sites. They also prefer those power lines be buried.
“Instead let’s fight for the best route which is the shortest route from the Gainesville substation up I-66. No above ground lines near homes, farms, children’s camps, historic sites, environmentally sensitive areas, cemeteries,” the website reads.
The website also lists the following roads, neighborhoods and county clubs as being affected by the New Road Alternative Route: Lansdowne Drive, Route 15, Mill Creek, Doe Ridge Court, Berkely Drive, Gaines Road, Mt. Atlas Lane, Route 55, Duck Lane, Lighting Dr., Padget Drive, Mountain View Drive, Erin Drive, Jennifer Lane, Martinwood Lane, Logmill Road, Hunton Lane, Bull Run Golf Course, Evergreen Country Club, Misty Ridge Drive, Stormy Drive, Padgett Drive, Loudoun Drive, Erin Drive, New Hope Drive, Thunder Road, Bull Run Golf Course, Antioch Road and Throughfare Road.
The same residents are also organizing a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the power lines. Del. Bob Marshall (R-13) will host the meeting Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at 14550 John Marshall Highway, where he will listen to residents' concerns.
Resident Scott Helberg recently forwarded an email he sent to Dominion Power to local media outlets. In it, he explains some of the reasons that residents oppose the New Road Alternative Route. Haymarket Beat has included their email exchanges below.
Readers should note that Dominion Power has not yet chosen the preferred route they will present to the State Commission Corporation (SCC), whose members then have a choice to approve that route or choose another. Spokesperson Chuck Penn said they may create other alternative routes the SCC can also consider.
Dominion offered additional routes, following criticism of the route that ran along the "Railroad" line and would run close to the communities of Greennhill Crossing and Somerset Crossing. Another route that ran along Piedmont communities was also unpopular with residents.
Chuck Penn, spokesperson for Dominion Power, said his company always tries to present the routes that would offer the least impact on residents, historical sites and the environment.
According to two sources, residents worried that a file date for the preferred transmission lines would be as early as January of 2015. However, Dominion said that while they do not yet have a filing date, they are looking at sometime around or after March 25, 2015.
The following are email exchanges between Scott Helberg and Dominion Power. As with all "Letters to the Editor" or opinion pieces, the points of view expressed belong to the author of the letters and do not necessarily reflect those of Haymarket Beat, Bristow Beat, our sponsors, editor, publisher or contributors, nor does it necessarily represent other news outlets and publications referenced in the letter, their editors, publishers, reports, contributors or sponsors.
Email from Helberg to Dominion Power
Good evening Dominion Team,
Thank you for your response about the submission date.
As you consider and present the various alternatives for running power to the new power station, request that you take into account the historical significance of the routes in addition to the number of residents that would be affected. What I do not believe has been considered in the “new road alternative” recently considered by Dominion Power is the impact it will have on the considerable history and activity that would be impacted. There have been many articles written by the Bull Run Observer and Haymarket Lifestyles magazines about the history of the old Town of Waterfall, the old school houses, the historic Antioch Church and cemetery, as well as the La Grange estates now turned winery and the newly formed and active Willing Warriors Project that all exist along the proposed 12+ mile route.
There are multiple other shorter routes that would have little impact on the History of this part of Northern Virginia, routes that would be less than half the length of this proposed “new road alternative.” Request your support in ensuring that the history of Waterfall Rd and Antioch Rd as well as the good work being performed for our service men and women by the Willing Warriors Project are not adversely impacted by this proposed alternate route.
As proposed, the power line would be installed immediately in front of the home of the widow of Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely, Jr. Vice Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely, Jr. (June 4, 1922 – October 22, 2004) was an African-American pioneer in the United States Navy — the first African American in the U.S. Navy to serve aboard a fighting ship as an officer, the first to command a Navy ship, the first fleet commander, and the first to become a flag officer, retiring as a vice admiral.( Bayot, Jennifer (October 26, 2004). "Samuel L. Gravely Jr., 82, First Black Admiral in Navy, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-30.) Gravely Elementary School in Dominion Valley is named after this decorated national hero. In Richmond, the street on which Gravely grew up was renamed "Admiral Gravely Boulevard" in 1977. (Catherine, Reef (2010). African Americans in the Military. New York: Infobase Publishing. pp. 123–125. ISBN9781438130965.) The destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107), commissioned in 2010, was named in his honor. (Stillwell, Paul (December 2010). "A Destroyerman's legacy". Naval History Magazine (Annapolis: United States Naval Institute) 24 (6). Retrieved September 19, 2012.)
I’ve contacting the newspapers and magazines who have published these articles over the years to inform them of this issue to them as well. I do hope that you will consider the history and not be viewed as putting a black eye on this historical area that includes Mill Creek Rd, Waterfall Rd, and Antioch Rd. and but rather that you are considering all the impacts through working with the local citizens to provide the best alternative to support what is left of the history of Northern Virginia in this era of rapid growth.
Sources include:
Serve Our Willing Warriors Project: http://www.willingwarriors.org/
“Serve our Willing Warriors aims to welcome first visitors to retreat in fall”. Bull Run Observer. April 4, 2012.
“A Guide to the Gossom Family Papers A Collection in the Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center Prince William Public Library” Prince William Public Library System relic. http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/library/RELIC/Documents/A%20Guide%20to%20the%20Gossom%20Family%20Papers%20(Mason).pdf
“Mt Atlas” listing on the National Register of Historic Places. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/PrinceWilliam/076-0015_Mount_Atlas_1989_Final_Nomination.pdf
There are multiple other articles the Bull Run Observer has written about the Antioch Church, the Gossom’s B&B and General Store, the old Town of Waterfall, the old school house that still stands along Waterfall Rd, and the front yard of Lewis Smith, the great grandson of the first Postmaster of Waterfall.
I would welcome your comments regarding consideration of Historical landmarks when considering the best alternative.
Best Regards,
Scott Helberg*
Haymarket, VA 20169
*Bristow Beat has redacted Helberg's address and phone number.
Email to Helberg from Dominion Power
Thank you for your input on our Haymarket 230kV Transmission Line and Substation project.
Dominion is currently reviewing several alternative routes for this project – the maps you have seen are not final and are subject to change during this review.
Our state regulator, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), requires us to submit our application with an exhaustive routing study that looks at all electrically viable solutions as well as route alignments. As such, we are still studying the feasibility of all of our available options to serve this area and therefore have not yet determined a final set of routes to submit for the SCC to review.
We strive to minimize the impacts of all of our projects, particularly those that require new right-of-way, while being sensitive to the interests of the community we have an obligation to serve. We will continue to keep the community and others up-to-date on the progress of our review and will inform them as developments are ready to share.
Projects as complicated and sensitive as this one requires flexibility in the planning process; as such, we have not set a date to submit our application; however it will likely be after the first quarter of 2015.
Once we determine the viability of the routes under review, we will host an information session prior to filing our application with the SCC.
We have updated our website – dom.com, search term Haymarket – to more clearly communicate the status of this project and where we are with our routing study.
We have added your email address to our distribution list to receive updates on this project as they occur. Please let us know if you wish to be removed from this list.
Thank you,
Dominion Electric Transmission Communications Team
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