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Write to your elected officials
THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT STEP YOU CAN TAKE!
Send an email to all the following people and groups in a place of power. We have a well written email below developed by the community. Feel free to use this and remove the RED section and add in your personal issues.
Send Governor Wes Moore an email directly from his contact page:
https://md.accessgov.com/governor/Forms/Page/cs/contact-the-governor/
Distribution list: Copy and paste this distribution list into your e-mail in order to contact all recommended officials and overseeing agencies: manu.asthana@pjm.com; pseg-mprp@pseg.com; Frederick.hoover1@maryland.gov; Kumar.Barve@maryland.gov; MichaelT.Richard@maryland.gov; Bonnie.Suchman@maryland.gov; OPC@maryland.gov; Kevin.atticks@maryland.gov; Chesapeake@cbf.org; Becky.Roman@maryland.gov; Mde.secretary@maryland.gov; justin.ready@senate.state.md.us; christopher.bouchat@house.state.md.us; april.rose@house.state.md.us; chris.tomlinson@house.state.md.us; chris.west@senate.state.md.us; Joshua.stonko@house.state.md.us; jvigliotti@carrollcountymd.gov; kkiler@carrollcountymd.gov; tgordon@carrollcountymd.gov; mguerin@carrollcountymd.gov; erothstein@carrollcountymd.gov; piedmontcomments.psc@maryland.gov
Dear sir or ma’am :
I am writing to request your assistance related to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP). The Public Service Enterprise Group plans to erect 70 miles of new 500,000 volt transmission lines in Maryland passing through Carroll County. There are options including use of existing right of ways and updating power lines to advanced reconducting technologies that appear to not have been explored. The new transmission lines are most urgently needed to support large data centers planned for expansion in the northern Virginia data center alley and a new center in Adamstown in Frederick County. The lines would connect nuclear power plants in PA to the centers. Over the next 15 years Dominion energy estimates they will require double the existing power to support the new data centers, roughly 23 gigawatts or 12 nuclear power plants worth of power. This is equivalent to the impact of adding 5.5 million homes and supporting their power needs.
We have zoning laws in place that restrict new residential development if infrastructure is not in place to support it. These same laws should apply to industries with massive electrical power needs. It seems as if citizens are being asked, after the fact, to make up for lack of oversight and planning. Approval of new data centers should be contingent upon the company (Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc.) erecting a new power source near the center to avoid stringing together power plants by erecting overhead transmission lines that are unsightly, hazardous, environmentally dangerous and disruptive to agriculture. Why should the citizens of Maryland pay higher energy bills due to new overhead transmission line costs to solve Virginia’s immediate problem?
The New York Times recently published an article explaining how replacing existing power lines with advanced reconducting cables would double capacity more quickly and cost effectively than erecting new high capacity structures requiring taking property and installing unsightly structures. This technology is in use overseas and was installed in parts of Texas reducing sagging and breakage due to lighter weight and lowering fire risk. Other countries have widely adopted this technology. The US patchwork of utility companies have little incentive to work together to update infrastructure. Are legislators willing to influence power companies to consider this alternative in order to meet Maryland’s future power needs?
Our property will be cut in half by the proposed lines. As a working farm, this takes half my productive land out of service, making it untenable to continue to farm here.
We host campers from around the nation and world on our farm, bringing tourism money and tax money into the county and state. These camp spots are directly in and adjacent to the proposed lines. The lines would completely end this part of our small business.
We raise Rare Heritage Livestock, as managed by the Livestock Conservatory. These are endangered species of livestock only kept from going extinct by small farms such as ours, and are critical for the commercial industry. They maintain genes that are lost in the commercial sector due to single trait breeding. The known and documented radiation from the lines would directly affect our breeding program as these animals spend much of their lives in the affected areas.
Our farm is completely All Natural and Regenerative. We do not use any chemicals or medications so that the food we produce is completely clean. PSEG will be spraying chemicals in the right of way which completely cancels all the work we have put into this land.
These chemicals will also flow down into what remaining pasture land we have, as well as the aquifers we drink from, the streams the livestock drink from, and will also impact the wildlife in nearby streams and forests.
Because of our clean farming methods, wildlife abounds. We have species that do not exist in many parts because of chemicals used, and find a sanctuary here. We also host various raptors including bald eagles, herings, turtles, and many other beautiful wildlife creatures.
We would be put out of business, losing many income streams, half our useful land, and dropping the property value to the point we could not afford to live on our own land and pay the bank back.
Many customers have health issues due to food from the commercial industry. The rely on the clean food we and other local farms produce. Many of those farms would be put out of business with these lines. This will have a direct affect on the health of the community, as well and make the community poorer as money would flow out of the area, instead of staying inside the community because of the effect of local small business.
In short, these lines would put a family of 5 out of business, end the endangered species being raised on our farm, deprive the community of the clean food they rely on, and damage all of the surrounding wildlife.
Both of our neighbours are protected farmland, and one is a registered historic farm. The impact stretches far beyond the properties in the pathway impacting Maryland’s natural resources, food and water supply. PSEG has yet to respond to our questions about environmental impact studies involving protected streams and wetlands in the Double Pipe Creek Watershed that the proposed lines will pass through. Protecting and expanding these habitats help to preserve biodiversity and is a critical component in successfully restoring this valuable watershed. We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the county that represent clearly the agricultural heritage and value of historic places. I am asking for you to work with your colleagues to ensure Maryland citizens are not bearing the cost of lack of oversight and planning in VA and continue to protect our most valuable agricultural and historic assets. Erecting high voltage power lines is an antiquated solution that generates more problems than it solves for Marylanders.
I appreciate your time in consideration of this information and look forward to hearing from you. I can be reached at Farmer@RedemptionSprings.com or cell phone 410-871-8877 if I can provide clarification about any of the above.
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