After months of negotiations and pressure from both elected officials and community members, Dominion Energy and NOVA Parks have settled on a new path forward for managing trees near power lines along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park.
Dominion and the regional park authority, which owns and manages the 45-mile-long W&OD Trail, have reached an agreement governing vegetation management activities that, among other provisions, requires the utility to provide advanced notice of any major maintenance work and to plant native species in affected areas when possible.
“We sincerely appreciate NOVA Parks’ partnership on this important effort and their dedication to preserving the W&OD Park,” Dominion Energy Senior Vice President of Electric Transmission Joe Woomer said in a press release. “By working together, we are balancing the safety and reliability of the grid with the long-term stewardship of this cherished resource. That’s a win-win for our customers and communities.”
NOVA Parks Executive Director Justin Wilson, who assumed the leadership role last October, agreed that the new memorandum of understanding “reflects a shared commitment” by both parties “to protect both the health of our community and the natural resources that define this region.”
Dominion’s activities along the W&OD Trail came under scrutiny in fall 2024 when NOVA Parks, nearby residents and Town of Vienna leaders observed crews clear-cutting trees in a roughly 4-mile stretch from Vienna to Dunn Loring while replacing a transmission line, or reconductor.
When NOVA Parks questioned the scale of the tree removals, Dominion responded that it was backing out of a voluntary vegetation management agreement that had been in place since 2005. Implemented after a public outcry over widespread tree clearings, the existing MOU had limited cuttings to trees directly threatening power lines — mostly those 15 feet or taller — and committed Dominion to replanting removed trees.
Dominion contended that the restrictions on tree removals were no longer viable under updated federal regulations, and that since 2005, tree growth had “become an unacceptable risk” to the electrical grid, which is facing increased demand driven, in part, by data centers.
After the utility initially declined to discuss a new MOU, instead offering NOVA Parks $50,000, mounting objections from elected leaders representing every community along the W&OD Trail, including Fairfax County, convinced Dominion to pause most tree-clearing plans last March and begin serious talks with park officials.
According to Dominion and NOVA Parks, the new agreement strikes a balance between both of their needs, acknowledging the utility’s obligation to cut back vegetation that could interfere with its electrical lines while also promoting the preservation of the natural landscape and increasing transparency around planned maintenance work.
“Through Dominion Energy’s partnership, the MOU prioritizes thoughtful pruning to preserve the park’s character while also investing in long-term habitat restoration, including invasive species management, native plantings, and introduction of pollinators,” Wilson said. “Together, we can help ensure the W&OD Park, and its 45-mile trail, remains a vibrant and valued community resource for generations to come.”
Under the agreement, Dominion will be required to notify NOVA Parks, officials in neighboring jurisdictions and area residents at least 30 days in advance of nearby transmission and major maintenance projects affecting the W&OD Trail. Notices must be provided by mail and via signs posted along the trail.
The utility must give NOVA Parks an inventory of the affected trees and a map and schedule for areas that can be restored before the park agency signs off on any tree and shrub removals.
The MOU also commits Dominion to inspecting its own facilities for vegetation-related risks annually and outlines practices for combatting invasive species while increasing the presence of native plants and pollinators.
Finally, the agreement makes official Dominion’s promise to replant parts of the 4-mile stretch between its Clark substation in Vienna and the Idylwood substation in Dunn Loring that were cleared as part of its reconductor project. Crews finished planting pollinator meadows and native, low-lying trees and shrubs in select areas by the end of 2025.
Dominion announced late last year that it would conduct some tree work, including the elimination of 19 trees identified as hazards, routine pruning and invasive species removals, in the Reston area starting on Jan. 20. That work was expected to take two to three months to complete, but it has been disrupted by Winter Storm Fern, which passed through Fairfax County on Jan. 25.
“General maintenance work has been delayed between Hunter and Reston substations, due to snow/ice,” Aisha Khan, Dominion’s Northern Virginia community relations manager, said by email. “Once the snow melts we anticipate finishing this section within 2-3 weeks.”
