For families in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, the fight over a proposed transmission line is about far more than utility infrastructure. Residents say the project threatens historic farmland, burial sites, schools, and the character of the communities they call home.
In some cases, opponents say the proposed route would come so close to daily life that staying put would no longer feel possible.
Here’s what to know
According to NBC Washington, the proposed Valley North Project would run a high-voltage transmission line about 260 miles from Putnam County, West Virginia, to Frederick County, Maryland. At 765 kilovolts, the line would operate at the highest transmission voltage allowed in the United States.
Dominion Energy and two other utility companies are behind the project, the outlet reported, which would extend through 25 counties in three states and use eminent domain to establish a 200-foot-wide corridor…