美能源部最終指定中大西洋為攸關國家利益的輸電通道（National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor）的設立地點，因此11個地區性及全國性環境組織11日宣布向能源部提出訴訟。
由於能源部是在沒有調查輸電通道對空氣品質、野生動植物、居民及自然資源等潛在傷害下，就將中大西洋指定為輸電通道的預定地，因而違反了國家環境政策法案及瀕危物種法案，在野生動物基金會及皮得蒙環境協會的帶領下，環保團體提出訴訟，就是要向他們提出挑戰。
環保團體計畫於1月14日向賓州中區的美國區域法庭提出訴訟，而生物多樣性中心則是於11日在加州中區提出一份相似的訴訟，挑戰能源部將位於美國西南部的加州及亞利桑那州中幾個郡指定為攸關國家利益的輸電通道指定地點的決策。
2005年時，國會通過的能源政策法案，讓美國能源部指定一大塊地區作為攸關國家利益的輸電通道地點，且儘管在環境敏感區域和受保護的土地上，電力公司都被賦予設立跨區高壓電傳輸管線的權利，此外，該指定亦授權電力公司能規避各區、各州及聯邦環境法的限制。
環保團體的訴訟聲稱，能源部的作為以超出國會在能源政策法案中的要求，且其指定地點也不在預定範圍內。
環保團體敦促賓州中區的區域法庭，欲其能要求能源部交出一份設立輸電通道的環境影響報告書，並依法和美國漁業暨野生動物局（U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service）共同討論其對瀕危物種可能造成的影響。
此外，有20個環境保育團體也向能源部請願，以期能復審美國西南部及中大西洋設為輸電通道的決策。他們表示，能源部不僅忽視了關鍵的能源問題，也沒有和各州商議及評估輸電通道對環境造成的衝擊。
Eleven regional and national environmental organizations today announced plans to file suit against the Department of Energy over its final designation of a mid-Atlantic National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor.
Led by the National Wildlife Federation and the Piedmont Environmental Council, the groups are challenging the designation on grounds that the Energy Department violated the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act by failing to study the potential harmful impacts of the corridor on air quality, wildlife, habitat and other natural resources.
The groups plan to file suit on Monday, January 14 in the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The Center for Biological Diversity today is filing a similar lawsuit in the Central District of California challenging the Energy Department's designation of the Southwest National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor, which includes counties in California and Arizona.
In 2005, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act, which directed the U.S. Department of Energy, DOE, to designate large geographic areas as National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors.
This designation gives power companies blanket approval to build new high-voltage interstate transmission lines within the corridor, even on environmentally sensitive and protected lands. The designation also allows power companies to bypass local, state and federal environmental laws.
The groups' lawsuit claims that the Energy Department has overstepped what Congress called for in the Energy Policy Act and designated lands that lie outside of the identified congestion area.
The groups are asking the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania to compel the Energy Department to perform an environmental impact statement on the corridor and consult with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over impacts to endangered species as required by law.
Also filing a petition with the department for a rehearing on the designation of the transmission corridors in the Southwest and mid-Atlantic were 20 environmental and conservation groups.
The states and groups say the Department of Energy disregarded key energy issues, failed to consult with the states and failed to adequately assess environmental impacts of the transmission corridors.
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