SAMPLE COMMENTS FOR WRITING THE SCC

Submitting a comment to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) is a meaningful way to get involved.

Below are three suggested sample letters for comments to the SCC. Please use these as a guideline but we suggest editing to make the message more personal to have the greatest impact upon the SCC hearing examiner. The SCC is the state agency responsible for deciding the route that Dominion Energy will build.

Complete this step and encourage others to do the same. Comments are not limited to Loudoun County residents. The decision in this case could be precedent setting for other Virginia transmission line projects. Make our voices heard!

Submit comments here: https://www.scc.virginia.gov/case-information/submit-public-comments/cases/-pur-2025-00056.html

To the Honorable Commissioners,

As a resident of Loudoun County, I am writing to express my strong opposition to any proposed route of the Golden to Mars transmission line that would place high-voltage infrastructure through residential neighborhoods.

The proposed routes would bring 185-foot transmission towers dangerously close to homes, schools, parks, and public spaces. These areas are entirely inappropriate for industrial-scale infrastructure. Loudoun County is home to thoughtfully planned, densely populated, and family-centered communities. Our neighborhoods should not serve as corridors for major transmission infrastructure.

Placing this line through residential areas poses serious and lasting consequences: 
•	Property & Environmental Damage: The visual and physical impact of transmission towers would degrade neighborhood character, lower property values, and encroach on sensitive environmental areas including floodplains, trails, and open green space. 
•	Local Government Opposition: The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has advocated for undergrounding and alternative alignments that better protect residential communities and public assets.
•	Public Health & Safety: High-voltage lines near homes and schools raise concerns about electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure, long-term health impacts—particularly for children—and construction-related safety hazards.  
•	Economic and Fiscal Concerns: While undergrounding may have a higher initial cost, the long-term economic impact of placing above-ground transmission towers through residential areas could be far more damaging. Loss in property values, reduced tax revenue, and diminished quality of life across entire neighborhoods would create a lasting economic burden. Undergrounding, especially in sensitive areas near homes and schools, should be viewed as a necessary investment to protect Loudoun County’s long-term economic health and livability.

In light of these concerns, I respectfully urge the Commission to: 
•	Reject all routes that pass through or adjacent to residential neighborhoods and school zones. 
•	Prioritize alternatives that follow existing transmission corridors, highways, or industrial/commercial areas. 
•	Require undergrounding for any segments within 500 feet of homes, schools, or public facilities. 
•	Align final routing decisions with Loudoun County’s land use plans and community protections as expressed by the Board of Supervisors.

I also encourage the Commission to carefully weigh the true long-term costs—to people, property, and public resources—against the perceived short-term savings of above-ground routes. Virginia deserves infrastructure solutions that are forward-thinking, community-conscious, and consistent with local priorities.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and for your service to the Commonwealth.

Dear Commissioners,
 
I am writing to strongly oppose all proposed overhead transmission routes for the Golden to Mars loop. Overhead lines of this scale are simply unacceptable in established communities. They would permanently disrupt neighborhood character, depress property values, and raise unresolved health and safety concerns for families forced to live directly beneath them.

The solution is not to force residents to absorb these impacts, but to treat this project as an investment in our community. Undergrounding transmission lines preserves property values, strengthens the local tax base, reduces long-term maintenance costs, and provides greater reliability by protecting critical infrastructure from storms and outages. While the upfront cost is higher, the long-term benefits are clear and lasting.
 
This is also an opportunity for Virginia and Dominion Energy to lead the way. Communities across the country are grappling with how to balance the need for energy infrastructure with the responsibility to protect neighborhoods. By requiring undergrounding here, the Commission can set a precedent that demonstrates innovation, foresight, and respect for residents who have invested in these communities.
 
Virginia has a chance to lead with a future-proof solution. I respectfully urge the Commission to reject all overhead alignments for the Golden to Mars loop and require undergrounding wherever transmission lines must pass near homes.
 
Thank you for your consideration.

Dear Commissioners,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed overhead routes for the Golden to Mars transmission line project, with particular concern over the precedent it would set. To my knowledge, high-voltage transmission lines of this scale have never been routed through the heart of an established residential neighborhood in our region. Approving this route would mark a dramatic departure from accepted planning practice and set an alarming standard for future infrastructure siting.

Transmission projects of this magnitude are typically routed along transportation corridors, through open land, or in areas intentionally planned for utility infrastructure. This is done to minimize impacts on existing communities, protect property values, and respect the investments residents have made in their homes and neighborhoods. By contrast, the proposed Golden to Mars routes are situated directly alongside long-standing homes and family spaces—placing industrial-scale infrastructure in a setting where people live, work, and raise their children.

Allowing this would not only harm the residents directly affected, but it would also create a dangerous precedent for communities across Virginia. If one established neighborhood can be subjected to such disruption, there is nothing to prevent the same from happening elsewhere. This undermines public confidence in the fairness and consistency of the planning process and risks pitting infrastructure expansion against the very communities it is meant to serve.

Virginia has long held itself to a high standard of balancing growth with community protection. Approving the Golden to Mars overhead transmission line routes as proposed would abandon that principle. The responsible path forward is to reject these routes and pursue alternatives—such as undergrounding—when transmission lines must pass near homes or schools. This approach aligns with precedent, protects community integrity, and ensures that infrastructure decisions reflect long-term public interest.

As the demand for data center development is still surging, there will be ongoing needs for more transmission line projects. Now is the time to challenge the electric utility companies and the data center industry to innovate and protect the community.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this matter. I respectfully urge the Commission to reject any route that places high-voltage transmission lines and towers near homes and schools and uphold the precedent of protecting established neighborhoods from inappropriate siting of transmission infrastructure.

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