| Mid-Atlantic Area NIET Corridor News
The Department of Energy has issued an Order Denying Rehearing.
Here is a link to the Department's web page that provides links
to the order, news release, and frequently asked questions.
Multiple Parties (Individuals, Organizations, Public Commissions,
State Representatives) asked the Department of Energy for Rehearing.
Here is a link to the Department of Energy's Application for Rehearing web page
(Scroll to the bottom to view filings that have been posted.)
Here are some links to specific filings:
SELC et al Application for Rehearing and Immediate Stay
Wilderness Society et al Application for Rehearing and Motion for Immediate Stay
Delaware:
Lt. Gov. Carney's Request for Reconsideration
Maryland:
Governor O'Malley's Rehearing Application
New Jersey:
Board of Public Utilities' Rehearing Request
New York:
Asst AG Leary's Rehearing Petition
Communities Against Regional Interconnect (CARI) Rehearing Application
DEC's Rehearing Petition
Governor Spitzer's Press Release
PSC's Rehearing Petition
Pennsylvania:
Cong. DeWeese's Rehearing Request
Governor Rendell-DEP's Rehearing Application
PUC's Rehearing Application and Request for Stay
(The Pennsylvania PUC has also filed a Complaint in District Court.)
Senator Stout's Rehearing Application
Virginia:
Gov. Kaine/AG McDonnell's Rehearing Application
Mid-Atlantic Area Contact Information for State Representatives: Click here.
The NIET Corridors Have Been Designated
What Does This Mean?
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an order designating two National Interest Electric Transmission (NIET) Corridors, including the Mid-Atlantic National Corridor. The designations will remain in effect for 12 years.
This decision comes despite strong objections from local, state, and federal elected representatives whose districts and citizens would be affected, and notwithstanding the written comments and oral testimony of hundreds of individuals objecting to the proposed designation.
 The boundaries and extent of the final Mid-Atlantic National Corridor are unchanged from those proposed earlier this year by the DOE in a draft designation. They include counties in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as all of Delaware, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia.
The DOE's corridor designation is part of a new process related to electric transmission line siting authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Department's designation of a national interest corridor throughout the mid-Atlantic region allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider applications to approve transmission lines and to exercise backup siting authority within the corridor. This authority includes the ability to override state decisions and to exercise federal eminent domain.
Final designation of the Mid-Atlantic National Corridor could directly affect the outcome of TrAILCo's 500 KV transmission line applications in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, Dominion Power's application in Virginia, and other applications in the region. If a state fails to act on an application within one year or does not approve a proposed transmission line, an applicant could seek FERC review and approval. In other words, the Federal Government could approve a proposed line even if an affected state rejects an application.
The DOE is providing 30 days for parties to file requests for rehearing of its order. The Department has determined that parties are organizations and individuals who filed electronic comments, mailed written comments, or hand delivered written comments by the deadlines established for participating
in the draft designation proceedings. It appears that anyone who testified at public meetings is not included in this definition of a party and does not have additional rights to ask the DOE to review its order.
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