Resolution Opposing Md. Piedmont Reliability Project Under Consideration By The Frederick County Council

A vote by the Council is expected on Feb. 4thCouncilman Steve McKayFrederick, Md (KM) The Frederick County Council is considering a resolution opposing the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.  MPRP is a 70-mile long, 500-kilovolt electric transmission line extending from northern Baltimore County through central Carroll County and southern Frederick County, ending at the Doubs substation in Adamstown. The electricity is expected to go to data centers in northern Virginia.The resolution is sponsored by Councilman Steve McKay. “A resolution as an authoritative statement by this body with enumerated reasons and requests for action I think is something that now’s the time,” he said during Tuesday’s County Council meeting.In his measure, McKay says this power line will travel over farms, a number of which are in agricultural preservation. “Still is yet unclear situation that we’ll be in when you have this third party come in and either by negotiation or by declaration for  eminent domain take easement over a preserved piece of farmland,” he says.Under agricultural preservation programs, the state or local governments  buys the easements or development rights from the farmer who continues to farm the property. Many landowners in the area the line could travel over are concerned the company which won the contract to build the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project could use eminent domain, or condemnation, to take their properties   for the transmission line.McKay said another concern raised in this resolution are farmers who are in the path of the MPRP would be unable to use their property as a farm, because they may have difficulty getting insurance for their lands.. “And that’s their ability to get the commercial insurance they need to operate as that kind of an enterprise in the context of those power lines being introduced over their property,” he said. “They are very, very concerned about that.”But there’s also an impact on residential areas, says McKay. He listed the Landsdale community in the Monrovia area as an example. “People worry they’re going to a 30 to 40 percent haircut on their property evaluations because they’re going to have a new power line in their backyards,” he says. “They’re worried about the safety of their children, particularly in the northern part where the line comes really close to the homes.”He also says residents in the Landsdale area may have difficulty selling their homes due to the proposed power line. . “And this line is going to go up the western boundary and then across the top. And you have people who have sale contracts for their homes. The buyer walked away as soon as the possibility of this happening,” McKay says.During Tuesday’s meeting, Councilman Mason Carter expressed support for the resolution. “I’m very glad to see Frederick County coming out in strong opposition to MPRP. because of the concerns of our residents, farmers and business that we’ve heard at all of these town halls and forums  are very real, and often demonstrated by the people who represent them. So I’d be happy to support this resolution,” he said.While stating her support for the resolution, Councilwoman Renee Knapp said she wanted some mention be made about having a “robust and resilient” grid system which meets the future electricity needs of residents and businesses in Frederick County. “I’m not proposing to do away with the resolution or all of the obvious negative impacts. But recognizing that we do need a robust and resilient grid would be responsible to communicate that our residents”  she said.’Knapp said many supporters of MPRP say Maryland is suffering a deficiency in its electricity generation.The Council is expected to vote on this resolution on Tuesday, February 4th.By Kevin McManus