Dear Deputy Secretary Beaudreau:
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Cultural Heritage Partners, Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, the National Parks Conservation Association, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Preservation Virginia have requested that the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service file a pre-decisional referral to the Council on Environmental Quality for the Surry-Skiffes Creek-Whealton James River Transmission Line, NAO-2012-00080. This project was authorized in 2017, built upon an Environmental Assessment that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit subsequently found to be legally deficient. The Court-ordered EIS is due to be released later this year and a CEQ referral must be requested within 25 days after the FEIS is released.
Our organizations recently shared our deep concerns over this project and the critical need for a CEQ referral with Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz. The FEIS deadline is looming and we have not received any indication that the serious environmental flaws identified over many years by our groups and the National Park Service have been addressed. We ask that you give this matter your attention and urge the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service to file a pre-decisional CEQ referral for this damaging project that impairs national park resources and values.
We are attaching our letters to Assistant Secretary Estenoz and to NPS Director Sams. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this matter.
Respectfully,
Pam Goddard
Mid-Atlantic Region Senior Program Director
National Parks Conservation Association
writing on behalf of:
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
Cultural Heritage Partners
Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
National Parks Conservation Association
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Preservation Virginia
Attachments:
- Coalition letter to Director Sams, National Park Service
- Coalition letter to Shannon Estenoz, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks