Maryland residents fighting against land access for controversial electrical grid project
Maryland residents are pushing back against a possible court order that would allow surveyors on their property to assess the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP).
A federal judge recently listened to arguments on both sides -- the developers and the landowners -- before making a decision.
PSEG Renewable Transmission, a New Jersey-based company, applied for a permit to begin the construction of 70 miles of overhead 500,000-volt power lines connecting an existing transmission line through parts of Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick counties.
PSEG then filed for court-ordered access to the properties.
PSEG said they must start by completing non-invasive environmental surveys which are standard practice across many industries for any new construction and are required for the permitting process at the federal, state and local level.
Awaiting a judge's ruling
Susan Euteneuer, who represents the Maryland landowners, said they don't want their rights curtailed.
"For a project that really doesn't help the grid, that really impacts their properties without great benefit to Maryland," Euteneuer said.
Euteneuer said the judge asked questions during a recent hearing before taking more time to decide.
"There are a lot of legal moving parts here with regards to whether or not PSEG has this authority," Euteneuer said. "Then, if it does, what circumstances can it exercise this authority?"
Euteneuer said the impact of this project goes beyond the farmers advocating against it.
"Some of these farms will no longer exist," Euteneuer said. "The farms that put the food on your table. The farms that develop the food that your family needs."
"It's not for Marylanders or the reliability of Maryland."
Brandon Hill learned last year that his farm, Rolling Hills Conservation, is in the path of the transmission line project in Baltimore County.
"It's going to start at the top of my hill, take out that forest there, which is an old-growth oak forest. It's going to cut across my field here, basically, render this whole field here not usable," Hill said.
Hill said the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project will make it difficult to harvest many of the different crops on his farm.
"They won't stand being mowed, deforested. That's what a transmission line does," Hill said.
PSEG on the filed court order
PSEG did not comment on the legal proceedings and referred back to its statement on the Temporary Right of Entry.
PSEG said, "A temporary right of entry is not an easement and does not grant permanent property rights or construction rights or obligate the landowner to grant an easement.
"Over the past 4 months, the MPRP team has engaged with property owners along the line on multiple occasions requesting access and offering monetary compensation to conduct these surveys. Despite our efforts to engage with property owners and even offer reasonable compensation, we have been unable to gain voluntary access from a sufficient number of property owners that will allow us to conduct these environmental surveys."
PSEG added they are willing to "make one more public effort to request property owners to allow MPRP to conduct surveys on their property."
Euteneuer said she received an attached order from the judged regarding a supplemental briefing due May 29.
Euteneuer added that she filed a Petition to Intervene at the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the Maryland Farm Bureau. She said PSEG opposed it, arguing only landowners should be allowed to be parties. Euteneuer said PSC granted the petition.
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