Valley Link opposition voiced
Residents of Buckingham County, Virginia, intensified their opposition to the Valley Link Project, which aims to construct high-voltage transmission lines across the commonwealth, citing concerns about data centers, industrialization, and impact on farmland. The Buckingham Board of Supervisors responded by instructing the county attorney to draft a letter rejecting the project. Valley Link subsequently postponed an open house, attributing the delay to a local measles outbreak.
Residents of Buckingham County, Virginia, reiterated their strong opposition to the Valley Link Project during a June 8 meeting of the Buckingham Board of Supervisors. The project proposes the construction of high-voltage transmission towers, four per mile, stretching 115 miles across the commonwealth, with residents expressing concerns over the industrialization of rural land, the potential for data centers, and the preservation of generational farmland.
Following resident testimonies, the Board of Supervisors emerged from a closed session to direct the county attorney and administrator to draft a letter rejecting the project, drawing inspiration from a similar letter used by Culpeper County. Residents like Johnny Schilling and business owner Amy Crawford urged the board to actively prevent data centers and transmission lines from impacting Buckingham County, with Crawford noting that recent changes in Valley Link's project maps indicate that opposition efforts are making an impact. She also called for PJM, the regional grid manager, to thoroughly investigate the feasibility and scope of the revised plans. Another resident, Ted Flippen, suggested implementing an ordinance to levy significant fees on companies for each tower erected on private property.
Valley Link, a developer involved in the project, announced the postponement of a planned June 18 open house in Buckingham County. The company cited a recent measles outbreak in the county as the reason, stating that a large gathering would pose a health risk. Valley Link indicated its continued desire to discuss route refinements for the Joshua Falls to Yeat transmission project with Buckingham residents and promised to announce future public engagement opportunities soon.