When one hears the word” scope”, there is an immediate visual image of intense peering —a microscope, a periscope, an entity with an eye pressed to a lens, looking for answers. The scoping meeting being held at the Prince Edward County High School Auditorium in Farmville, Virginia with a rally at 6:00 p.m. followed by public comments starting at 7 p.m. on March 17 bears a great similarity to the imagined process. The citizens of the counties impacted by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a project of Dominion Transmission, Inc., are peering intensely through the lens of eminent domain, trying to see if their properties or family home may have a 42′ pipeline inserting itself into their way of life. Many find themselves at great opposition to the project. However, at the scoping meeting they will have a three to five minute  opportunity to present their opinions, concerns, and , in some cases, family tragedies to the Regulatory board–FERC, the board that issues ( or Not) the permit to Dominion and its investors to proceed with their plans. It is a scene fraught with deep and contradictory emotions. 

Opponents of the pipeline see a David and Goliath story, where money-hungry giants have slipped contributions into the pockets of Virginia politicians and built up a giant conglomerate– one so mercenary and powerful that they can set aside the very property rights given to all citizens by the Constitution and nab one’s land or condemn one’s home on the basis that “It is in the public good.” The business interests claim eminent domain, stating “the ACP will increase the reliability and security of natural gas supplies in Virginia and North Carolina.” The opposing sides will undoubtedly face each other in the scoping meetings stage of the permit process.

The March 17 meeting will prove lively, as the pipeline opponents present street theatre and demonstrations to call the attention of the State of Virginia to the fact that David may be armed with only a slingshot, but the shots he takes will be compelling and on target .