Members of the Frederick County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly are asking U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to consider existing infrastructure corridors before new routes are created for major projects.
In a letter to Duffy, the lawmakers expressed support for the federal America’s Great Corridors of Commerce initiative, which encourages consideration of existing transportation and utility rights-of-way when planning infrastructure.
The delegation says Frederick County has numerous working farms, conserved lands, forests and family-owned businesses that can be affected by large infrastructure projects. Lawmakers say existing highways, railroads, transmission corridors and other previously disturbed rights-of-way should be evaluated before new routes are considered.
State Senator William Folden and Delegate Jesse Pippy pointed specifically to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a proposed 67-mile, 500-kilovolt transmission line that would cross Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties.
The project has generated significant opposition from Frederick County officials and property owners since it was announced. The delegation says its experience with the MPRP demonstrates why existing corridors should be considered before new transmission routes are developed.
The lawmakers are asking the federal government to include communities such as Frederick County in discussions about how existing infrastructure can be used more effectively. They say doing so could reduce impacts on private property and potentially lower costs for utility customers.
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