Parks Group Sues to Stop Jamestown Development Project

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently granted the necessary federal permit to allow Dominion Energy to proceed with a highly controversial plan to build 17 obstructive transmission towers, some as tall as 295 feet, across the James River at Jamestown.

In response, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) today filed a lawsuit to ensure that lawful steps are taken to protect this iconic site in American history by analyzing the project’s impacts and viable alternatives.

The Army Corps granted Dominion’s permit without conducting a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an EIS would include a thorough review of reasonable alternatives, and a transparent public process and comment period.

This project would deface Jamestown, Colonial National Historical Park, Colonial Parkway and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, which collectively protect more than 400 years of our shared American history and which provide an unparalleled experience for learning about the founding of our nation. It would also jeopardize the $1 billion annual travel and tourism industry, which supports local jobs and generates tax revenues that benefit the region and state.

The lawsuit was filed today in federal court in Washington, DC. It aims to block project construction until and unless the Army Corps, at minimum, completes an EIS and takes a hard look at project impacts and feasible alternatives as legally required by NEPA, so that the region’s energy needs can be met while also protecting one of America’s most historic areas. NPCA is represented by the public interest environmental law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP.

“There is only one Jamestown, and once development of this magnitude begins, there is no undoing its impacts,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of National Parks Conservation Association. “If we allow this to happen to one of America’s most important historic areas, what’s next for our other national parks? We will continue to fight in court to ensure that reckless development does not destroy this treasured and historic area.”

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About National Parks Conservation Association Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.3 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.

About Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP Since 1993, Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP has represented national, regional, and grassroots conservation organizations in federal litigation on issues of national importance. Please direct any legal inquiries about this lawsuit to Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP.