The Carroll County Historic Preservation Commission recently discussed the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), expressing worries that proposed transmission line routes could negatively impact historic properties in the area.

The MPRP, a 70-mile, 500,000-volt transmission line project awarded to Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), aims to address growing electrical needs in Maryland and surrounding regions.

Christopher Heyn, Director of Carroll County’s Department of Planning & Land Management, highlighted the potential threat to local heritage. In a letter, he noted, “Carroll County has approximately 1,697 historic sites listed with Maryland Historic Trust. Several properties on the National Register or with historic preservation easements overlap with the proposed alignments.”

Heyn urged consideration to avoid these cultural resources, naming several potentially affected sites including the Jacob F. Schaffer Farm, the Robert and Phyllis Scott House, and the Union Mills Homestead Historic District.

Local resident Jenny Teeter voiced her opposition: “I want PSEG and PJM to reconsider and find more creative, cost-effective alternatives that are less disruptive. Energy is important, but farmland and historic properties are irreplaceable resources.”

PSEG maintains that the transmission line is crucial for meeting growing energy demands and ensuring a reliable grid. However, in response to public feedback, the company has stated they are revisiting and modifying some of the initially proposed routes.