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County officials renew opposition to Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, cite legal, land‑use and cost concerns
Summary
Commissioners described the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project as harmful to Carroll County’s landscape and water supplies, said the county has set aside funds for legal action, and discussed zoning deferrals and regulatory uncertainty over transmission approvals.
Several commissioners used the Chamber forum to renew the county’s opposition to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), a regionally significant transmission proposal described in the meeting as a roughly 70‑mile project carrying power to data centers in Northern Virginia.
"the abhorrent transmission line known as the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, which would gouge a scar across the heart of our county," Commissioner Joseph Vigliati said, adding that the project in its most recent realignment "now threatens New Windsor's water supply." Commissioners said the board has allocated funds to support legal efforts and has submitted testimony and motions to regulatory bodies.
Speakers raised several recurring concerns: limited local benefit (power is described as heading to out‑of‑state data centers), apparent gaps in clarity about which federal or regional authority greenlit the project (FERC, PJM or other entity), potential use of agricultural easements, and eminent‑domain issues. Commissioner Tom Gordon and others questioned why alternatives—such as using existing transmission corridors—had not been exhausted in the project record.
Commissioner Susan Krebs said the board had placed a temporary deferral on projects that fall under four recently changed zoning ordinances while the county reviews definitions and aligns requirements with the master plan. Officials encouraged residents to consult county web pages for regular updates and to engage with legislators about the project’s fiscal and environmental implications.
The transcript records robust local opposition and preparatory legal steps but does not include a response from the project developer or state regulators in this forum. County officials said they will continue to participate in Maryland Public Service Commission proceedings, seek legislative remedies and coordinate with other counties and citizens' groups opposed to the route and impacts of the transmission line.
