Golden to Mars Updates · United Loudoun

Hi everyone,

Some recent updates

The School Board accepted the donation of Parcel L
Dominion just asked for access to two more LVE par …
This week: Golden and Aspen Substation Meetings
In the news

The School Board accepted the donation of Parcel L

As many of you already know, the School Board votedto acceptLoudoun Valley Estates' donation of Parcel L.

Parcel L

As a community, we should be grateful for the leadership that Chair April Chandler, our Sterling Representative Amy Riccardi, and the entire School Board have shown on this issue for us and for all of Loudoun. They will be outstanding stewards of this land for many years to come. We should thank them for that.

Loudoun Valley Estates remains committed to pursuing every legal avenue to preserve the quality of life that our residents - and all of Loudoun County - have earned.

Dominion just asked for access to two more LVE parcels

This past week Dominion's land survey company sent us access requests for two additional LVE-owned parcels.

These are two large parcels which span the back side of our neighborhood and run parallel to Broad Run.

We have been told by Dominion throughout this entire process that Routes 3A and 4 were intended to run along the other side of Broad Run (collocated with the existing power lines adjacent to the industrial area), so it is perplexing that they now require access to land inside our neighborhood that we were told was not going to be impacted.

PARID: 122497166000

PARID: 121106860000

This new request appears to be Dominion simply initiating the engineering process for both Routes 3A and 4 following the SCC order - not a response to any specific recent event.

Just a routine step in their predetermined process.

But that routine nature makes it more alarming, not less.

Before now, we had never had Dominion broach a need for access or express an interest in these specific plots of land, and they were not disclosed in any filing. They were not shown on any routing map. This request came to us last week with absolutely no explanation of intent. Our call to Dominion’s contractor on Friday was not returned.

The last time our community allowed a request like this in April 2025, the prior Board cooperated in good faith and authorized access to Parcel L.

What happened a month later? Dominion introduced Route 3A cutting straight through our community.

This affects the entire neighborhood - not just those who live closest to the originally proposed routes.

If these parcels become part of the transmission corridor, we aren't talking about any one section of the neighborhood. We are talking about our clubhouse, our recreation areas, and Lyndora Park. We are talking about even more significant tree removal right behind our community. Our only buffer between us and the industrial area along Route 606 and Dulles Airport.

We have already seen Dominion route lines in ways that carefully avoided even unbuilt commercial property, and placed them through schools, small businesses, and residential property. Standard utility practice is to collocate these lines together. If there is already sufficient space on the other side of Broad Run, why do they suddenly need additional access to our land? And what else is intended?

Without any information to the contrary, it is entirely reasonable to assume that this is the beginning of placing more of this corridor right through Loudoun Valley Estates.

Earlier this past week, Dominion representatives – while attempting to explain the relationship between massive 500 kV lines and substations - described those high-voltage 500 kV lines as "interstate highways" like “I-95,” adding that you obviously wouldn't run an interstate highway right through a neighborhood.

My immediate response in the room got a few laughs

¯_( ツ )_/¯

(artist depiction)

In all seriousness, I clearly wasn’t the only one surprised they would make that statement. Because that is exactly what they have been fighting so hard to do to us.

With this new survey request, is Dominion now attempting to expand their proposed interstate highway through our neighborhood?

This week: Golden and Aspen Substation Meetings

As many of you know, we have also been advocating regarding how these substations are built and pushing for power requirements to be weighed as part of a broader, comprehensive plan for the county.

Because of this pushback, Dominion has agreed to hold public information sessions for both the Aspen and Golden substations, which will border the W&OD trail.

If you have seen the massive scale of the Mars or Wishing Star substations, you know exactly why we need a better, less disruptive approach in non-industrial areas that sit right next to residential and recreational areas.

By the way, the Golden Substation is the "Golden" in the "Golden to Mars" project.

Many of you have had questions and expressed a desire to participate further. You should absolutely attend and ask hard questions of Dominion and their representatives about this project and the future of infrastructure in Loudoun County.

GOLDEN SUBSTATION IN-PERSON MEETING
Monday, June 29, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Drop by anytime during this window)

DoubleTree by Hilton Sterling - Dulles Airport (21611 Atlantic Blvd, Sterling)