Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Says Deputies Will Not Be Working To Further MPRP

It says deputies will not accompany PSEG employees visiting affected property owners.Westminster, Md (KM) The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office says its deputies will not be working to further the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.In a statement, Sheriff Jim Dewees says his office was approached by the Public Service Enterprise Group which wants to build the 70-mile-long electric power   line across Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Counties, and has asked that off-duty and reimbursable deputies accompany their employees when they make contact with affected landowners. PSEG has filed with the Public Service Commission and federal courts to gain access to properties where the line is expected to traverse.  “This will not be approved under any circumstances,,” Sheriff Dewees says in the statement.The Sheriff’s Office also says it will not get involved in disputes between landowners and PSEG if the power line applicant wants to gain access to any affected properties. It says these issues need to be resolved in the courts. .In the statement, Sheriff Dewee says deputies will respond if there is criminal activity such as trespassing or assaults. But they will not intervene to force a landowner to comply with a civil access order.MPRP is proposed for northern Baltimore County, central Carroll County and southern Frederick County, ending at the Doubs substation in Adamstown. PJM, the manager of the regional power grid,  says the project is needed in order to avoid power outages in the region.The project has generated controversy in that local officials say it will traverse farmlands, many of which have been placed in agricultural preservation.A number of landowners along the path say they will not PSEG employees on their properties, claiming it could lead to the company using eminent domain to acquire the land it needs for this power line.By Kevin McManus