Clearing the way for a controversial multi-state power project that will have an impact on Western Pennsylvania, the U.S. Department of Energy today designated a vast geographic region of the northeastern U.S. as energy-congested and in need of additional electric transmission.

The designation of the so-called Mid-Atlantic area national interest electric transmission corridor includes eight states, the District of Columbia, and 50 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.

It remained unchanged from a draft corridor proposed in May, although the DOE received more than 2,000 public comments, many of which were critical of the large size of the corridor.

The designation would allow the federal government to step in and supersede states' rights to grant electric transmission siting permits in certain cases. According to the DOE, the corridor must be large enough to include all possible transmission routes to congested areas, most of which are located along the East Coast from southern New York to northern Virginia.

Local protesters are concerned about a plan from Greensburg-based Allegheny Power to construct a 37-mile, 500-kilovolt power line through Washington and Greene counties.

Although the project is under review now by the state Public Utility Commission, if the state denies the permit, makes no decision within a year, or places too many restrictions on the company, it would have the right to seek a permit from the federal government because southwestern Pennsylvania is within the corridor.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.