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Monongalia County Commission adopts resolution opposing Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link, weighs intervention at PSC
Summary
The Monongalia County Commission unanimously adopted a resolution opposing NextEra Energy Transmission(MARL) 500 kV overhead transmission line through Monongalia County and discussed joining other counties and potentially intervening at the West Virginia Public Service Commission.
The Monongalia County Commission on July 30 unanimously approved a formal resolution opposing the construction of the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL), a proposed roughly 105-mile, 500-kilovolt overhead transmission line promoted by NextEra Energy Transmission. The resolution calls on state elected officials and the West Virginia Public Service Commission to reject the project and declares that the county would receive no meaningful local benefit while facing property, environmental and tourism harms.
County commissioners placed the resolution at the top of the meeting after public comment from Delegate David McCormick, who urged opposition. "I just want to commend you all for resolutions coming forth today opposing the ... power line," McCormick said, adding he opposed the project because he did not see Monongalia County receiving benefits.
The commissionmembers said they had reviewed materials submitted by NextEra and heard residentsconcerns about property access, surveys and the effect on farms, forests and scenic areas. One commissioner said the basic questions were whether the project would benefit local residents and whether it presented local harms; another commissioner characterized the proposal as "one-sided," saying he had not received calls supporting the project.
After adopting the resolution, commissioners approved a separate next step to respond to a request from Hampshire County and to discuss avenues for joint action. Commissioners also discussed seeking to intervene as an "affected party" at the West Virginia Public Service Commission so the county would have a seat in future proceedings should the PSC take up the matter.
The resolution text, read into the record, states that MARL would transport electricity largely to serve demand outside West Virginia, particularly data centers in Northern Virginia, and that funding ultimately would be borne by regional utility ratepayers. The motion to adopt the resolution passed by voice vote; commissioners recorded no opposing votes during the meeting.
The commission directed staff to communicate with Hampshire County and research the procedure and costs of formal intervention at the PSC. The PSC review was discussed as a likely venue for regulatory review later this year; commissioners referenced a PSC filing timeline that could include hearings in the autumn.
