It says the completion schedule set by the builder of the line is not realistic.
Davidsonville, Md (KM) The Maryland Farm Bureau is one of several organizations calling on the Public Service Commission to dismiss the application by Public Service Enterprise Group to build the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project. Parker Welch, the Executive Director of the Farm Bureau, says PSEG’s completion date is unrealistic.
“Inability for PSEG to meet their time line of in service by June of 2027, and still being able to go through all the permitting and statutory requirements,”: he says.
MPRP is a proposed, 67-mile, 500 kilovolt electric transmission line which will begin in northern Baltimore County; and the continue through central Carroll County and southern Frederick County, ending at the Doubs substation in Adamstown.
The Maryland Farm Bureau is against the power line. Some of the key points raised by farmers, according the Farm Bureau, is there is no public need for this project as PSEG has failed its own time line. By seeking dismissal of the project, now, the Farm Bureau says it will prevent PSEG from wasting time and resources battling farmers in the state for access to their properties to do environmental surveys. It also says continuing the case would unnecessarily burden the PSC, and state agencies as well as property owners who are dedicating time and money to fight a proposed line that PSEG says cannot be delivered on time.
Welch says a lot of the opposition comes from farmers who are into agri-tourism, where farmers invite the public on their properties to learn about agriculture, and purchase their products. . “When you look at the three-county corridor, a lot of agri-tourism happens. It’s huge for the economy on those three counties,” he says.
He also says a lot of these properties that MPRP will pass over are in agricultural preservation. “You take money and you put it in preservation for perpetuity. Then having that come out of land preservation…sets a dangerous precedent for the whole state,” says Welch.
In addition, Welch says none this power will be used by Marylanders. “The best way to explain it is essentially an extension cord to get power to data centers in Virginia. I think that pretty much paints the picture whether Maryland residents will actually benefit from all this construction and infrastructure.,” he says.
Other local governments and organizations which have signed on to calling for the PSC to dismiss PSEG’s application include Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Counties, and Stop MPRP, a non-profit citizens group opposed to the project, along with some affected property owners.
PSEG is expected to respond by November 14th.
By Kevin McManus