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Residents press supervisors on PATH Foundation, transmission routes and protecting farmland
Summary
During citizens' time at the Sept. 11 Fauquier County supervisors meeting, residents criticized the PATH Foundation's shift toward equity programming, urged opposition to proposed overhead transmission lines serving data centers, and called for policies to preserve farmland and purchase development rights.
Several citizens used the board’s citizens’ time on Sept. 11 to raise concerns about philanthropic funding priorities, proposed transmission lines and farmland preservation.
Josephine Gilbert of the Scott District criticized the PATH Foundation, saying it has moved away from its 2013 mission of funding health and wellness programs and toward equity and dialogical programming after receiving large philanthropic gifts. Gilbert said PATH accepted $15,000,000 and that future grantmaking appeared tied to racial and gender‑equity priorities; she read the title of a PATH‑sponsored workshop she described as “Collectively healing, Breaking the Cycle of White Supremacy” and asked the board to reject funds or hold PATH accountable to its original 2013 agreement.
Several residents urged the board to oppose proposed new overhead transmission lines. Chris Colvin (Cedar Run District) thanked the board for a resolution opposing certain transmission routes and displayed a map he said shows proposed lines slicing through Catlett and the county’s eastern corner. Mike Fultz (Scott District) supported opposing routes that traverse areas outside existing rights‑of‑way, asked for information about a newly announced underground HVDC (high‑voltage direct current) line from southern Virginia to Loudoun County and suggested data center developers should bear line costs if their facilities drive new transmission infrastructure.
Ali Zarabi (Center District) urged preserving farming and using tools such as purchase of development rights to keep small-scale farmers on the land, and warned against further proliferation of data centers in Fauquier County.
Board members acknowledged the comments, with several expressing support for protecting rural lands and directing staff to continue work on routing and county positions. The public comments framed ongoing land‑use debates the board has been addressing in recent meetings.
