Powerline Lawsuit

The Center for Biological Diversity has officially sued the Department of Energy over the proposed Southwest energy corridor that would run through Arizona and California.

The lawsuit claims that the plan's fast-track federal approval process for the construction of transmission lines would allow energy companies to bypass state jurisdiction, environmental laws and even private land ownership.

The Department of Energy designated the Southwest Corridor pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, allowing for “fast-track” approval of utility and power line projects within the corridor, nullifying state and federal environmental laws, and enabling federal condemnation of private land for new high-voltage transmission lines.

Suit filed over federal agency plan for southwest energy corridor [WDBJ}