For Immediate Release: December 10, 2007

For More Information:
Bob Lazaro, PEC, Director of Communications
(c) 571.225.0198

PRESS RELEASE

PEC FILES TESTIMONY OPPOSED TO DOMINION/ALLEGHENY TRANSMISSION LINE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES DECEMBER 14

(Warrenton, VA - December 10, 2007) The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) has filed hundreds of pages of expert testimony to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) in opposition to the ill-advised, high-voltage transmission line proposal by Dominion Virginia Power and Allegheny. The filing represents a landmark effort on the behalf of citizens, local organizations and local governments against a transmission line that many experts have concluded is not necessary.

The expert testimony definitively demonstrates that Dominion and Allegheny's proposed high-voltage transmission line is unnecessary and that simple alternatives that have significantly less impact are available to the power companies to meet the electricity needs of Northern Virginia for today and into the future. The testimony reveals that Dominion and Allegheny:

• Ignored less costly and less environmentally damaging solutions;
• Misrepresented the need for the proposed transmission line as a local Northern Virginia issue rather than as a regional issue;
• Made wildly unrealistic assumptions and unreliable data in analyzing the needs of Northern Virginia and the greater Mid-Atlantic area; and
• Claimed falsely that the proposed transmission line will benefit consumers, when (as they know) studies show that the line will cost consumers more in the long run.

The testimony includes:

• Dr. Hyde Merrill on the issue of need. Dr. Merrill has been an energy consultant for over 25 years. This is the first time he has testified on behalf of an environmental conservation group. His review of the data in this case shows that existing technology could solve any projected problems for Northern Virginia more effectively than this transmission line. He demonstrates that the proposed transmission line will not ensure electric reliability locally or regionally or make the electric system more robust.
• Dr. Dan Violette on the issue of demand side reduction. Dr. Violette critiques Dominion's demand side reduction program and shows how Virginia could reduce energy use 10%, eliminating the need for additional transmission in Northern Virginia.
• Dr. Benjamin J. Sovacool on the issue of national security and resource utilization. Dr. Sovacool demonstrates that the addition of more high voltage transmission lines actually reduces the stability of the electric grid and would damage rather than enhance our national security.
• Mr. William Harvey on real estate valuation. Mr. Harvey shows that there will be substantial uncompensated damage to property owners all along the proposed transmission line route.
• Mr. Gerry Sheerin on undergrounding. Mr. Sheerin confirms that undergrounding is technically feasible and used by utilities in the US and around the world in many cases including preservation of environmentally significant areas.
• Dr Kristina Hill on scenic and cultural damage. Dr. Hill, head of the Landscape Architecture program at University of Virginia School of Architecture, critiques the Dominion and Allegheny analysis of detrimental impact on scenic assets.
• Ms. Jennifer Hallock on scenic and cultural damage. Ms. Hallock reviews the damages that the transmission lines could inflict on cultural and scenic assets along the proposed routes.
• Mr. Watsun Randolph on the impact of the proposed lines on scenic, cultural and historic assets in the area. Mr. Randolph prepared maps that show the potential areas impacted by the proposed lines, including portions of Skyline Drive, Civil War battlefields and Scenic Rivers.
• Ms. Kimberly Abe on scenic and cultural damage. Ms. Abe reviews the damages that the transmission lines could inflict on the cultural and scenic assets along the proposed routes.
• Citizens have until December 14, 2007 to file written or on-line comments with the SCC regarding this case. Residents are urged to visit the PEC's web site: www.pecva.org to file their remarks.