Maryland residents voice frustration as Piedmont Reliability Project meeting hits a boil
HUNT VALLEY - An information and feedback session on the Piedmont Reliability Project in Baltimore County hit a boiling point Tuesday night.
About 40 minutes into a presentation by Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), residents in the audience began to push for the question-and-answer part of the session to begin.
"This isn't kindergarten. These are our livelihoods. Let me ask a question," one woman said.
In October, PSEG, who is in charge of the project, unveiled the proposed route.
Taking into account some 5,300 public comments, PSEG stated it adjusted the alignment of the 70-mile, 500-000-watt transmission line through parts of Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick counties.
The company said the plan would help Maryland and other areas meet growing demands for electricity.
"There's a couple of things driving that," said Jason Kalwa, Project Director for PSEG - Piedmont Reliability Project. "We have electrification whether it's due to electric vehicles or heat pumps for examples, heating homes with electricity and also data centers as well."
Now, a new set of sessions this week will unfold in the three impacted counties to gather more feedback.
"Just say NO!"
Ahead of the meeting at Embassy Suites by Hilton in Hunt Valley, a group of people protested outside.
Signs that read "Just say NO!" were held by those against the project.
Matt Moran, an Adamstown native, said the proposed route runs the risk of changing the face of his family's property.
"It's gonna be within about 120 feet of my father's house," Moran said. "It's gonna be tearing down woods, the forest that I live in. It's an atrocity."
Local leaders also joined organizers ahead of the meeting.
Maryland State Senator Chris West laid out six pieces of legislation he plans to introduce in the 2025 session to deal with energy demands in the state. One would defer a decision on the application for the Piedmont Reliability Project.
"My bill would direct the public service commission not to grant the certificate needed for the construction of any electrical transmission lines until we see what kind of new trajectory the state of Maryland is on," Sen. West said.
Next Feedback Meetings
There are two more information and feedback meetings scheduled for this week:
Carroll County:
Wednesday, November 13, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Carroll County Agricultural Center
706 Agricultural Center Dr., Westminster, MD
Frederick County:
Thursday, November 14, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Brunswick Volunteer Fire Company
1500 Volunteer Drive, Brunswick, MD
Baltimore County:
Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Hereford High School
17301 York Rd., Parkton, MD 21120