Bob Marshall – Dominion Power Seeks to Abolish Local Zoning

Dear Friends,

HB 1766 seeks to abolish the zoning powers of every locality in Virginia, and enable Dominion Power and other private utilities to locate electric substations and associated facilities anywhere Dominion desires.

A vote on final passage will occur, tomorrow, Monday, January 23rd.  Please call or email your delegate to vote “No” on HB 1766.

Localities currently decide where to locate electric substations and associated facilities.  HB 1766 will allow the State Corporation Commission to issue permits to Dominion to build stations, substations, transition stations and switch yard facilities associated with 138 kV transmission lines, wherever Dominion Power wants them.

It sets a horrible precedent and is wrong in principle.  Zoning powers are properly exercised by elected representatives of the public, not the corporate stockholders of Dominion Power or other utilities.

Once in place, HB 1766 could be amended to apply to substations that handle higher allowable kV power.

This bill is a ploy by Dominion Power to overcome local resistance to their arbitrary placement of electric transmission lines, to serve data centers and other electric power hogs.  It would also reject the conclusion of the 2015 Virginia Supreme Court decision in a substation battle in James City County that held that Dominion must comply with local zoning requirements for substation placement.

HB 1766 grants de facto zoning powers to private companies like Dominion and in effect sets up a government separate from, or independent of, the government of Virginia, which violates Article 1, Section 14 of the Virginia Constitution.

Please don’t allow Dominion Power to abolish local zoning powers.  Contact your delegated TODAY!  To find your delegate go to the link and put in your address.

Sincerely,  Bob Marshall