Three Frederick County Councilmen Oppose Md. Piedmont Reliability Project

They say it impacts lands in the county set aside for agricultural preservation, among other issues.    Steve McKay                                                                  Brad YoungMason CarterFrederick, Md (KM) A statement in opposition to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project was released by three members of the Frederick County Council.The project is a proposed, 70-mile, 500-kilovolt power line extending from southern Pennsylvania to Baltimore and Carroll Counties, ending at the Doubs substation in Adamstown in Frederick County. “This project came as a surprise to us, just it did so many of our residents,” the statement from Council President Brad Young, and Councilmen Steve McKay and Mason Carter reads..There was a public meeting on the project last week at Linganore High School which brought out a large crowd, and Council President Young was there. “After looking at everything, reading everything and seeing the impact it has to our county., I wasn’t convinced that was in the best interests of our county or our residents, or the needs of Frederick Countians,” he says.Young also says this power line would impact a lot of property the county has put into agricultural preservation. “Frederick County has gone out of its way to preserve our agricultural land. We’ve already got  over 75,000 acres in preservation. To use those lands to put high voltage power lines over if it’s not necessary, it’s not good,” he says.The company planning to build the line, the Public Service Enterprise Group, was awarded a contact to construct the line by PJM Interconnection which manages the regional grid. PSEG argues that the lines are needed to meet the growing electricity demands of the region, particularly with data centers going up. Young says he has some doubts. “We’re not convinced that the majority of this power is even going to stay in Frederick County. That we’re just being used as a conduit to take it from the north down to Virginia and places further sought,” he saysCouncilman McKay has said the line will deliver electricity to data centers in Loudon County, Virginia. A data center is being constructed by Quantum Loophole at the former Eastalco site in Adamstown.Young says he and his two colleagues do not question need for the additional electricity for the data centers, but PSEG could have used the existing power line rights-of-way to bring in the electricity. “What we’re doing is encouraging that they go back and re-look at using the existing power lines and right of ways that they have, and look at the whole proposal and find a way to be less impactful  if, in fact, it’s necessary,” he says.A large number of property owners have expressed strong opposition to the project. In particular, they’re concerned that PSEG may use eminent domain in order to obtain the property they need for the project. “We heard at the meeting the company that was talking about that they hadn’t ever used it. But they certainly led with that in their releases that that was a possibility but certainly kind of held that over the heads of property owners that you’re going to cooperate or we’re going to be able to take your property,” said Young.The County Council is scheduled to discuss this issue at its meeting on August 27th. Young said there is the potential that a statement of opposition could emerge from the entire Council on this project. The Carroll County Commissioners issued a statement opposed to  this project.Young acknowledges that the final decision on whether this project goes forward rests with the Maryland Public Service Commission. But he says the Council will do what it can regarding this issue.By Kevin McManus