Statement on the April 16, 2024 Board of Supervisors Resolution
The Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance Commends the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ No New Route in Western Loudoun Resolution
The Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance (LTLA) applauds the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ resolution opposing the Western Loudoun Route for the proposed 500kV electrical transmission lines proposed by NextEra Energy.
On April 16th, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 to approve a resolution encouraging NextEra to use an existing electrical transmission right-of-way instead.
LTLA is elated to have the support of the Board of Supervisors. “We applaud the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors for leading the way, insiting that pristine and hsitoric greenspace and economic drivers of Rural Loudoun be preserved intact,” said Susan Manch, President of the Board of Directors for the Waterford Foundation, Inc.
Building a new transmission line through Western or Rural Loudoun would be severly detrimental to all residents and impact the past, present, and future of Loudoun County. While the LTLA understands the need for power in a growing county like Loudoun, it believes it should not come at the cost of agriculture, tourism, local businesses, the community, conservation, and preservation. “For NextEra, this is a commercial decision, but for Loudoun it’s existential,” said Jim Hanna, Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance member, quoting the Declaration on the NextEra MARL Project.
The LTLA continues to call upon NextEra Energy to reconsider its plan and build within the existing right of ways. The current trajectory in Rural Loudoun would put all of us, our environment, and our historic legacy at risk.
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Pre-Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance Opposition Letters:
Opposition Letters (2023):
- See Waterford Foundation President Susan Manch’s letter to PJM here.
- Waterford Citizens’ Association letter citing alternative routes.
- Read the opposition letter from the National Park Service here.
- Opposition Letter from the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel.
- Opposition Letter from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
- Opposition Letter from the Loudoun HRDC
Other letters:
- November 28, 2023 letter from the Organization of PJM States (OPSI) to the PJM Board.
- December 8, 2023 letter from NextEra Energy to PJM regarding PJM staff recommendation of the acceptance of NextEra’s MidAtlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) project and citing plans to engage with local stakeholders beginning in January 2024.
- December 18, 2023 response letter from PJM about the proposed transmission lines to interested stakeholders.