County supervisors in Buckingham are doing their due diligence in delaying a decision to vote on a special use permit for Dominion to construct a 195-foot microwave communications tower as part of a proposed 53,783-horsepower compressor station along the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project.

If you’ve picked up this newspaper or visited our website online in the past two years, you’ve seen the massive opposition out of Buckingham regarding the project by those who fear the impacts the ACP and its station could have on the community.

Allowing and encouraging Dominion to investigate if connecting to area fiber optics to ensure what many call a more reliable communications system is a good thing.

The board’s consensus came after 13 people spoke in opposition to the permit, calling for Dominion — which is leading the ACP — to integrate fiber optic communications to the compressor station rather than what many of the speakers alleged to be outdated microwave technology.

The tower Dominion is proposing wouldn’t use fiber optics for communicating, but would rather use microwave technology, which Dominion External Affairs Manager Emmett Toms said “is the most secure system we have.”

I commend District Four Supervisor Morgan Dunnavant and District Three Supervisor Don Matthews for raising the question of Dominion looking into a fiber optic connection, which many called for during the public hearing held last Monday.

“I think the desire for the fiber is one more option for the compressor station to automatically yell for help if something goes wrong,” said Dunnavant. “And I do think it behooves you and it behooves us to inquire.”

I agree wholeheartedly.

“Is Dominion willing to work with the people of District Six? … They’re throwing a bone out there. Is that something that’s workable or not?” questioned Matthews regarding an offer by Joseph Abbate regarding a link to Yogaville’s CenturyLink fiber optics connection.

The worst answer someone can offer when another poses a question is “No.” But if you never ask, you’ll never know.

JORDAN MILES is managing editor of The Farmville Herald and Farmville Newsmedia, LLC. His email address is Jordan.Miles@FarmvilleHerald.com.