Many of you may have missed the Thursday, August 21, 2008 Virginia News Brief in the Washington Post on State Corporation Commission judicial appointee, James C. Dimitri, which was tucked away on Page B08. (See our 08/21/08 news post).

Mr. Dimitri made the right decision in recusing himself from participating in deliberations over the 65-mile power line proposed by Dominion Power. Dimitri had been one of the lead attorneys in the SCC case during last winter's evidentiary hearings on the Loudoun Line.

Mr. Dimitri's appointment at such a critical time in the deliberations flies in the face of conventional wisdom.

Speculation has it that an SCC judge who retired in the 1990's will be a member of the three-judge panel reviewing the case.

Last week's Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's stinging recommendation to deny permits for their segment of the line sheds a whole new light on the case.

For all of us who have opposed the line, the Pennsylvania PUC's report provided a strong sense of validation for those efforts, if not the costs - to individuals, organizations and local governments.

One can only hope that the third decision maker in this case will be fair-minded, and ready to undertake an exorbitant amount of homework.