A new 70-mile electrical transmission line, the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, is drawing scrutiny from the public and lawmakers in the General Assembly. Public information sessions drew large crowds and long lines in the three counties where construction could take place.
PSEG, the energy company behind the project, and PJM, the interstate organization that manages the region's electricity grid, say the transmission line is needed to replace the Maryland’s aging energy infrastructure. Without it, blackout will become more frequent.
But grass-roots organizations say the environmental impact—and the concerns of landowners in the way of construction—are not being adequately addressed.
Nathanael Miller, WYPR's Frederick County Reporter, discusses the latest on this story.
Later, Jason Kalwa, PSEG Project Director joins Midday to discuss the proposed power line. PSEG set up a webpage for the public to direct comments or questions.
And Renee Hamidi, of the land preservation and conservation organization Valleys Planning Council, discusses her objections, as well.
