Abigail Zurfluh

We have had a busy year this year in the 1,420 acre National Historic Landmark of Waterford! Our staff, board, committees, and volunteers have been hard at work to preserve the historic buildings and open spaces of Waterford, and to educate the public about Waterford history, craft, and life in an early American rural village. Before we leap into 2025, let’s take a look back at the highlights of this year in preservation, education, and public programming (oh my!) below:

PRESERVATION MILL AWARDS STREAM MONITORING SECOND STREET SCHOOL PAINTING LOUDOUN TRANSMISSION LINE ALLIANCE POST STORM CLEANUP PLANNING OF JOHN WELSEY COMMUNITY CHURCH RESTORATION

In May, when the Waterford National Historic Landmark was announced to be one of Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places by Preservation Virginia; we said that endangered doesn’t mean the end, it means that there is a community ready and willing to put in the work to save it. That statement was truly proven this year. We would be remised if when talking about what happened this year in preservation without mentioning the Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance first. Starting at the beginning of the year, we at the Waterford Foundation joined together with other environmental conservation and historic preservation organizations, community groups, business representatives, and more to advocate for the 500kv transmission lines proposed to go through rural Loudoun, including inside the Waterford National Historic Landmark, be moved into the existing rights-of-way. After many long hours, community meetings, signs distributed, signatures collections, conversations with the powers to be, and so much more- PJM Interconnection’s Board of Directors approved a change in scope for the 2022 RTEP W3 plan that avoids construction of a new greenfield power transmission line through western Loudoun County by instead making use of existing rights-of-way. The Waterford Foundation continues to be associated with the Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance as the group advocates for the best ways to intersect the community, local businesses, historic preservation and environmental conservation, and power infrastructure.

It was a busy year out on the Phillips Farm as well. There were two sprayings for poison hemlock, and by the end of the summer there were no new growth observed for the first time! While this could be due to a multitude of reasons outside of our control, it is definitely a sign we are in the right direction in the treatment of this invasive species. Mile-a-minute vine and autumn olive (two other invasive species) were pulled by volunteers in two cleanup days in the spring led by members of the Open Spaces Subcommittee. More work will be done on managing invasive species in 2025. In partnership with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, a new stream monitoring site was added along Bull’s Run. Finally, we started to research ways to better support the Phillips Farm Trail Network’s growing popularity, and a public survey was put out during the summer months. We can’t wait to hit the trails in 2025!

Finally, our preservation work this year was spread all over Waterford. In June, the Second Street School got some needed TLC on the exterior with new paint and wood repairs. The building is definitely ready to welcome a whole new set of fourth graders in the spring! After the large storms that passed through Waterford in July wreaked some havoc, volunteers as young as six came out to help at our Post-Storm Cleanup (with popsicles)! Our storm cleanup had volunteers go around the entire village- including the Phillips Farm trail, Old School, Bond Street Meadow, Second Street School, and the Village Green. The Foundation was awarded the Community Blue Ribbon Award by the Loudoun Joint Architectural Review Board and the Signatures of Loudoun: Design Excellence Award for Historic Renovations by Loudoun County for the Waterford Mill Project. The Mill Planning Ad-Hoc Committee called together by the Board continued to meet this year (and will continue into 2025) to lay out the best plan for the next life of the Waterford Mill. On the topic of planning, in late 2024 planning kicked off for the John Wesley Community Church Restoration Project. We hope that the project will be completed by the end of the year in 2026.

EDUCATION Celebrating 40 years! LYCEUM SERIES

Our education team also had a busy year this year! First off, our education committee hosted five programs in the 2024 Lyceum Series: a talk on how to research your home and family presented by our very own Historic Preservation Director Abigail Zurfluh and Thomas Balch’s Anna Carneal and Laura Christiansen, a book by Waterford historian Taylor Chamberlain on his new book My Old Carpetbagger which uses the story of his great-grandparents to reveal new aspects of Virginia and national history, an interactive talk and family friendly activities in partnership with the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum and Loudoun250 Commission on Colonial-period agriculture, and a panel discussion of the “Real” Arthur Godfrey Story: as Told by His Family. Our final lyceum program took a trip into Leesburg, with Historic Preservation Director Abigail Zurfluh giving an overview of Waterford History through the Oden Map at the Rust Library in Leesburg. We can’t wait to see what incredible programs are going to be planned for 2025! Talented docents led groups around Waterford on a quarterly basis for a walking tour, and we can’t wait to welcome people back for a tour. Two new exhibits were unveiled at this year’s Fair: the reworking of the African American Experience of Waterford, and Waterford Then and Now. We can’t wait to build on this momentum for next year!

The Second Street School Program celebrated forty years this year with an impressive number of over 600 fourth grade participants in the primary program! We introduced three new field trip programs during the 2023-2024 school year for middle and high school students to come out and explore Waterford and learn more about the Reconstruction Era and the African American community here. In 2025, we hope to expand the offering of these three programs and possibly find a way to bring Waterford into the classroom.

Finally, we couldn’t forget to talk about our public programming: The Waterford Craft School and the Waterford Fair! In 2024, the Waterford Foundation hosted our 80th Waterford Fair on the first weekend of October. We had sunny skies and perfect fall weather to welcome over 15,000 attendees to the Village. 225 artisans and artists participated this year, including 76 who demonstrated. There were thirteen living history exhibits and eighteen performers who engaged, taught, and played with fairgoers throughout the weekend. Our talented team of docents welcomed 6,382 fairgoers into 13 historic homes, buildings, and gardens. In honor of the 80th Waterford Fair, the first ever Waterford Fair beer was tapped by Wheatland Springs at the Talbott’s Tavern at the Old School, and at the brand new Mills End Waystation. To be able to create a magical weekend for fairgoers, we had a dedicated team of over 400 volunteers that we can’t thank enough!

The Craft School brings in master artisans to teach traditional crafts, focusing on heritage skills and techniques. The 2023-2024 Craft School Season ended early this year, which had 253 students come out to our workshops. The 2024-2025 Craft School Season kicked off this summer, and during the season we will welcome thirty master instructors in total, including twelve new to the WCS, to teach students about their crafts. The summer was abuzz in Waterford with six children’s summer camps covering everything from making your own doll to survival skills. Registration is still open for WCS workshops happening in 2025 at this link!

This year was definitely one for the history books here, and we can’t wait to continue our work of preserving one of Virginia’s treasures in 2025! To support our mission of preservation and education, please consider giving as part of our end-of-year campaign. You can learn more about our end-of-year campaign on our support page linked below.

On July 15th, Waterford was hit by an unexpectedly strong storm that certainly left it’s mark in the Village. Trees were spewed through the streets and sticks scattered all over- knocking out power for the majority of the area during the summer heat and a large wake of destruction. It is a true testament to the community in Waterford that banded together to direct traffic, clear roads and driveways, and more!

To help cleanup, we engaged with another kind of stick- popsicle sticks. Volunteers as young as six came out to help cleanup up Waterford Foundation properties and around the Village, and we had popsicles afterwards to celebrate a job well done. We can’t thank our volunteers who came out enough!!!

Volunteers went to the Bond Street Meadow, Village Green, and the Old School area to help collect the debris dispersed around. Another team went down to the Phillips Farm to successfully clear the downed branches blocking the trail. Afterwards, everyone came together to enjoy the sunny summer day with popsicles in hand.

Thanks to our volunteers hard work, we were able to reopen the Phillips Farm trail, and have spaces ready for us to start prepping for the Waterford Fair! We also want to pass along our gratitude to the Land Trust of Virginia, who donated waters for the event so that everyone could stay hydrated in the summer heat.

Check out below for some before and after pictures! If you are interested in volunteering in our next cleanup or want to learn more about volunteering in Waterford, please reach out to our office at oldschool@waterfordfoundation.org.

Before:

After:

Next steps in storm cleanup on Waterford properties is to bring in professional assistance in cutting up larger trees and wood chipping.

The Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance conducted a comprehensive impact study of NextEra’s proposed new transmission lines in rural Loudoun County. Data for the 137-page report was collected from multiple member organizations, community testimonies, PJM Interconnection’s original reports, academic research, and Loudoun County mapping services. This report shows the vast role that Loudoun’s rural economy and heritage play in the county, and what would be lost if transmission lines were constructed.

Read on below to see some infographics about how the proposed impacts would affect Loudoun! The full impact statement is available at this link. At the bottom of the page, you can read individual organizations impact statements that were submitted.

Authors: Jim Hanna, Bob Pollard, and Sue Manch of the Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance

Individual Organizations Reports and Statements: some of these reports were created using a template created by the Waterford Foundation, Inc.

• Aldie Heritage Association
• Catoctin Creek Scenic River Advisory Committee
• Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Hamilton Station Road Coalition
• Laurel Hill
• Loudoun County Bed and Breakfast Guild
• Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance- Lovettsville Chapter
• Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy
• Loudoun Wineries and Winegrowers Association
• Old Wheatland Estates HOA
• Scenic Loudoun Legal Defense
• Save Rural Loudoun Foundation
• Waterford Foundation, Inc.

This page is a list of resources for Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance Member Organization Resources. For more information or if you have any questions, please reach out to the Communications Chair azurfluh@waterfordfoundation.org

• NIETC Fact Sheet: This fact sheet for LTLA members is designed to help with the writing of comments for the NIETC based on the LTLA statement and common messaging
• LTLA June Appeal: A copy of the June Appeal letter emailed to members on 5/28
• Event Supplies Request Form: Use this form to request LTLA flyers, yard signs, and table information for your next event. Please fill out this form at least one week in advance, two weeks if you need a new flyer created.
• Canvassing Tips and Tricks: This document lists how to canvas for beginners, and some helpful tips in how to go door to door

PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE DUE ON JUNE 24 BY 5PM ET. PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN BE SENT TO NIETC@HQ.DOE.GOV.

Map of Potential NIETC Geographic Area in the Mid-Atlantic Region (Department of Energy, 5.8.2024)

On May 8th, the Department of Energy released their preliminary list of potential National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridors around the country. This comes after the completion of their information gathering phase that started in December 2023. Below are answers to common questions about the National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor designation process, and what you can do:

What is the National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor Designation: The National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor (NIETC) is a designation given to geographic areas by the United States Department of Energy. This designation is designed to help the department support growing nationwide transmission line needs by streamlining approval processes in place at the state level. According to the Department of Energy, a NIETC designation allows for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue permits for transmission line projects with the designation area under the circumstances that state authorities (in Virginia, the State Corporation Commission) do not have authority to site the line, have not acted on an application for over 1 year, or have denied an application.

Would this impact Loudoun? Yes, Loudoun was included in the Mid-Atlantic region NIETC preliminary list (see map above). A NIETC designation would NextEra Energy to build a new greenfield power corridor within a wide swath of rural Loudoun to support the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link project, even if the State Corporation Commission denies construction in Rural Loudoun.

Can you explain why this would be a bad thing? The Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance identified three main reasons of detrimental impact to Loudoun County supported by data collected by Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) and PJM Interconnection:

• This is not a long-term solution to any issues related to reliability and resilience. All of Mid-Atlantic corridors depend on aging coal fired plants that will not be around for the lifetime of the transmission lines. This is not consistent with the renewable energy policies of the U.S. Government. The proposed western transmission lines within the PJM 2022-RTEP-W3 process has already led to the extension of the life time of two coal plants (Ft. Martin and Harrison) that has been set to retire in 2030. The data centers of Northern Virginia represent the only growing sector of electricity demand that is predicted to double by 2040 when these coal-fired plants will be obsolete.
• Virginia ratepayers will have to help cover the total cost of $4.9 billion for these inter-regional transmission lines by absorbing the cost into their utility bills. Dominion Energy already anticipates a doubling of consumer bills as a result of the need to build out the infrastructure. Communities pay to build and operate this new infrastructure and suffer the consequences of having these lines disrupt local businesses, property owners, historical landmarks, and the environment. Dominion Energy is also discussing other transmission lines to directly serve new data centers being built in Culpeper, Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties, which ratepayers will have to pay for as well. PJM’s set of recommended lines will be sent to the Board of Managers for final approval in mid-December. (Source: Piedmont Environmental Council) These lines will not support households- only data centers. It does not appear that this corridor will save anyone in Loudoun money any time soon.
• It is correct that there is a need to expand access to power. However, as opposed to being the answer to future energy needs, the transmission line projects lock us into an old model reliant on fossil fuels. The project is an extension cord connecting power-hungry data centers to existing energy sources when we need to move into the future. (Source: Piedmont Environmental Council) When the coal-fired plants that are soon to become obsolete go offline, this huge investment in these “extension cords” will be useless, and new solutions will need to be found. There is nothing “clean” about the proposed solutions under consideration by the Department of Energy.

For more information about the potential adverse impact, please visit this webpage set up by the Piedmont Environmental Council. You can also check out our “Just the Facts” flyer linked here!

Map of Potential NIETC Geographic Area in the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Information (Department of Energy, 5.8.2024)

Where does the LTLA stand on this proposal? The LTLA disapproves of the decision to include Loudoun in the NIETC designation. While we understand the need for power in a growing area such as Loudoun and Northern Virginia, we do not believe it should come at the expense of the community, local businesses, agriculture, conservation, and preservation. Denoting any part of Loudoun a National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor would meet the power needs of a few while endangering the future of an entire region.

What can I do? The Department of Energy are accepting and asking for public comments on the geographic boundaries of the moving forward designations considerations until June 24, 2024 at 5:00PM ET. Public comments can be sent to NIETC@hq.doe.gov.

Please send in comments about why Loudoun would be a bad candidate to be included in a National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor. Public input is very important in this process to help determine national needs. Specifically, the DOE is asking the public to submit comments on:

• Transmission needs within the potential NIETCs and associated consumer harm
• The geographic boundaries of the potential NIETCs
• Potential impacts on environmental, community, and other resources within the potential NIETCs

Check out the graphic below to help brainstorm what you should include!

For More Information:

• Just the Facts NIETC Phase Two Flyer
• Press Release on Phase Two Designations Release by the Department of Energy
• More Information about the National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor Designation Process
• Link to Detailed Document from the Department of Energy (Mid-Atlantic region starts on page 18)