Prince William Board of Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson-D, Brentsville Supervisor Tom Gordy-R and Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega-R hosted a town-hall-style meeting at the Nokesville Fire Station, the night of Sept. 17.
The "Community Conversation" meeting focused on Dominion Energy’s newest preferred routes for the Nokesville-Bristow transmission line. They would connect a STACK substation on Hornbaker Road in Manassas to a substation in Nokesville near Reid Lane, via 6.5 miles of 230-volt power lines that are 12-stories tall.
These new preferred routes would partially along Nokesvile Road (Route 28) as well as through forests and rural farmland property between Nokesville and Bristow.
Although not specifically stated by Dominion Energy, additional transmission lines are required to serve the data centers, which would significantly increase the need for electrical power in western Prince William County. Chairman Jefferson noted that the tide has turned on data centers not only on the board, but across the country.
Approximately 60 people attended the meeting. Many were Nokesville residents whose property would be affected by the power lines, directly or indirectly. They made clear that they did not want the power lines running through their properties and neighborhood and sought the supervisors' support on the matter.
Supervisors voiced their support for citizens but explained that the State Corporation Commission would be the final arbiter. Dominion Energy has not filed an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, but plans to do so in the last quarter of the year.
Dominion Energy presented the following information about the proposed transmission lines on its website.
What's Proposed
ROUTES
In August, Dominion Energy amended its map to put forth a preferred route through Nokesville, the Green/Red line.
According to the plan, the transmission lines would "travel" south from Hornbaker Road in Manassas, crossing over green space and Broad Run before arriving at Linton Hall Road. When reaching the intersection of Linton Hall Road and Nokesville Road, it would either run directly south along Nokesville Road (Pink Row), or veer slightly east around Sheetz (Yellow Row.)
From Fitzgerald Way (near Harris Teeter) to the new Vint Hill Road extension, it will run along the west side of Nokesville Road.
Green Line - 11
Past Vint Hill Road, Route 11 (Green Row) would run through forest land adjacent to Nokesville Road to the west, through Woodland Farms, then along Nokesville Road for about a kilometer.
After which, it curves southwest to avoid the intersection of Nokesville Road and Fitzwater Drive.
Past the Nokesville 7-11, it heads directly east and continues south along the railroad tracks until connecting at the substation near Farm View Road.
Red Line - 10
An alternate branch off Route 11, "Route 10 (Red Row)" would begin just past Woodland Farms, curve out much farther to the west, crossing Kettle Run Road, and then traversing the space between Kettle Run and Reid Lane. It creates a crescent shape, traveling southwest, then southeast to the substation.
Rather than choosing one route over the other, the Nokesville residents wanted neither route.
WHY THESE ROUTES
Dominion Energy has been proposing various routes for the lines. After the route through Braemar was eliminated this summer, after which routes along Nokesville Road (Route 28) and through Nokesville became the preferred routes.
That option would affect fewer people and would travel through the rural countryside rather than HOA neighborhoods.
Dominion said it considered burying the lines but ruled it out.
RESIDENTS STORIES
Kristy Cortina, 70, and her husband bought land along Nokesville Road in February and have just completed building the foundation of their new home. They knew nothing of the transmission lines until June, when they were told Dominion Energy could gain the rights to build transmission lines on their property.
“My lot is like a big open meadow,” said Kristy. “This [was to be] my dream home. I always wanted to have land, and we have 11 acres.”
She said it has become a nightmare, and they don’t know what to do. “It’s like we don’t have rights.”
Emily Naylor runs The Grumpy Goat Farm Sanctuary, which may now be affected by the transmission lines. “We were very specific in purchasing this property,” she said.
A sanctuary is a safe place for animals, and she believes this is disruptive. Her message to Dominion is to choose a more industrialized area to run the lines.
RESPONSE
During the meeting. attendees told the supervisors that lines could damage their property, depreciate their property values, decrease their quality of life and tarnish the area's rural charm.
One man mentioned falcons and other wildlife that live in the woods that the lines would disturbed. A woman mentioned it could affect their well water. Another said they are on a hundred-year flood plan.
“Those are the kinds of things that we want to hear,” Jefferson said. “That’s the kind of things we need to know [to construct an argument against the route].”
Everyone seemed to agree they would prefer Dominion bury the lines or run them through industrial sections of the community, such as along the railroad tracks.
They recognized that Dominion agreed to bury the powerlines through Haymarket and Gainesville in 2016 after those communities presented a united front, something they hoped to emulate.
BURYING THE LINES
Burying power lines is significantly more costly. And at a meeting held in July at Patriot High School, Dominion Energy employees said the route would have to avoid existing underground infrastructure, be in an area that is not too rocky to dig through and not cause significant disruption to the surrounding area, such as roads.
While that might be true, many said they do not believe that Dominion tells them the full story.
Many said Dominion Energy “obfuscates,” but a Braemar resident said, “they are actually making false statements to the public." he said. “They are misleading us, and they are telling lies.”
Gordy and Jefferson confiemed that Dominion Energy did not give them the full information about the switching station/substation planned for Vint Hill Road before the planning commission meeting, nor ahead of this Tuesday's board meeting; they had to learn about it from citizens.
Because of that, they said they would not support that proposal. (More about that in a forthcoming article.)
HOW TO FIGHT BACK
Residents sought guidance from the board members on how to best plead their case to the commission. They advised that they email the SCC and show up to speak at the hearing. He also said that the SCC must come to at least one community meeting.
“I think you have to be relentless when it comes to emailing the SCC,” Supervisor Vega told the residents. They should also speak up and talk to journalists, saying that it goes a long way to sway opinions.
“There is consensus among the eight of us on the board. There is support for folks there in the Nokesville area,” Vega said. “Everybody is on the same page when it comes to this issue.”
Jefferson said they are working with them, but do not have a plan yet. “We are building the plane as we fly it. It is not ideal,” she said, “but work with us, stay in communication.”
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