WASHINGTON — Opposing sides of a proposal to suspend power lines over the historic James River are claiming victory after a Virginia Supreme Court ruling.
The 500-kilovolt electric transmission lines would be suspended on steel towers hundreds of feet over the James River between Surry County and James City County around Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown, which date back to 1607.
The ruling essentially declares that the need for Hampton Roads to have a reliable power source trumps concern for historic scenery being impacted by overhead power lines. Dominion Virginia Power is happy with the ruling.
“There is an undeniable fact that there is an urgent need to deliver more energy to the Peninsula and the court has affirmed that the State Corporation Commission has chosen the best option,” Robert M. Blue, president of Dominion Virginia Power, said in a news release.
However, another result of the ruling requires the power company to get James City County approval to build a switching station needed to connect the proposed new power lines with other parts of Dominion Virginia’s system.
Historic preservationists encouraged by the potential for additional red tape hope the feds will kill the project.
“It still has to pass under federal legal standards through the Army Corps of Engineers,” says Jim Zinn, founder of Save the James Alliance.
“The only deal is a done deal, and this isn’t done yet,” Zinn tells WTOP.
It’s unclear when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers will complete an environmental impact study of the proposed project.
