Latest news with #HB1270
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Protected Maryland Wildlands At Stake In Laws For Electric Power Line
Bear Creek in Garrett County, Maryland Controversial legislation is moving through the Maryland General Assembly to okay building overhead transmission lines in three wildland areas to power several states and may jeopardize 28 endangered species and millions in federal funds for wildlife projection. A pair of mirror proposed laws House Bill 1270 and Senate Bill 399 are passing various legislative states in both chambers despite overwhelming local opposition. The legislation seeks to construct part of a large-scale, 105-mile, 500 kilovolt transmission line from Virginia to Pennsylvania and cut through three untouched and protected Maryland wildlands. The legislation is called 'Natural Resources - Wildland Areas - Overhead Transmission Lines.' HB 1270 is sponsored by Delegate Jim Hinebaugh, Jr., a retired U.S. Army colonel, while SB 399 is spearheaded by Sen. Mike McKay, a business owner. Many opponents to the legislation have submitted testimony about a lack of public hearings and participation prior to bills being introduced in the General Assembly. The bills seek to exempt parts of three protected areas in the Big Savage Mountain Wildland, Bear Pen Wildland and Dan's Mountain Wildland from being designated as a wildland area and instead be subject to a certificate of public convenience and necessity to build the transmission line. The bills would mandate the state Public Service Commission to require the company (NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic Inc.) applying for permission to obtain 'a certificate of public convenience and necessity' to build the overhead transmission line and 'provide wildland impact mitigation guarantees.' In Jan. 31, 2025, submitted written testimony to Senate Bill 399, Maryland General Assembly At issue are the protected lands and the species that live there which would be forever disrupted in Maryland for a project that benefits electricity consumers who live in other states as well as corporate interests. The state has been protecting the three areas—Big Savage Mountain Wildland (2,879 acres), Bear Pen Wildland (1,517 acres) and Dan's Mountain Wildland (4,047 acres)—as the highest classification of wildlands defined as primitive areas untouched by urban civilization that 'can offer the experience of solitude and self-reliance. These wildlands are usually lands located at higher elevations that protect watersheds and are ecologically vulnerable to human interferences,' according to a Maryland General Assembly 2025 Fiscal Policy Note about the impact of HB 1270. The fiscal policy note underscored that commercial enterprises and permanent roads, use of motorized equipment/vehicles and structures or installations are not allowed in the wildland areas. In addition, to allow construction of the overhead transmission lines could disallow federal funding of which Maryland was allocated $9.2 million in under the Pittman-Robertson Act in fiscal year 2024. The protected wildlands also together provide a habitat for two endangered bat species, a rare Appalachian cottontail rabbit and 25 other known rare, threatened, or endangered species. Submitting testimony in support of the legislation were 14 testimonies, including one from T.R. Robinette, president of the Allegany County Farm Bureau Inc.: 'After the transmission is completed that habitat which is currently wildland will go back to wildland habitat. To go around the wildlands would take more personal property including farmland and residential areas.' Another proponent was Billy Bishoff of the Garrett County Farm Bureau. 'Our reasoning is that our agricultural lands are equally important as wildlands. We are not advocating for the construction of a transmission line. We just believe that if it is built that it should follow a path that minimizes the impact on all lands. Our concern is that efforts to avoid wildlands will impact more of our land.' Also representing other agriculture interests was Tyler Hough, government relations director of Maryland Farm Bureau, who submitted support for the legislation as having less of an impact to farms. However, Hough stressed 'Maryland Farm Bureau's support of HB1270 is in no way in support of the construction of the NextEra Energy proposed transmission line through Garrett and Allegany County.' Lobbyist Jamie DeMarco, representing the Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund, encouraged passage of the legislation and noted that NextEra has the project contract. 'When compared to other potential alternative transmission routes the proposed Wildlands route would have less impacts to residents, farms, and businesses. In addition, the Wildlands route would affect less forest clearing, wetlands, and trout streams. It would also cost less for Marylanders as it is a much shorter route,' DeMarco stated in written testimony. In the Senate, there seven testimonies submitted in favor of the SB 399, including a letter from NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic, which is developing the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) transmission line. The entire project would build a new 105-mile, 500 kilovolt transmission line from Fredrick County, Va., to Greene County, Penn. And contain a Maryland section at the potential wildlands site in Allegany and Garrett counties. Kaley Bangston, NextEra Energy regulatory and political affairs director, submitted written testimony backing the bill. She said it would exempt 'a small portion of land to allow for the MARL line to route adjacent to an existing transmission line owned and operated by FirstEnergy which also routes through Wildlands. While we believe this routing option provides the least impact to the region, we are actively performing a routing study and taking feedback from local stakeholders as we make these routing decisions.' Kurt R. Schwarz, conservation chair emeritus of the Maryland Ornithological Society, urged legislators in written testimony against passing the legislation since building the electric transmission lines there would 'destroy these ecosystems, habitats, or rare plants. ..Our members visit these Wildlands to admire the birds that live there. Big Savage Mountain, Bear Pen, and Dan's Mountain Wildlands all provide valuable habitat for our declining bird populations. North America has lost almost 30% of its birds since 1970. Loss of habitat is one on the major causes of these declines.' Schwarz explained many reasons why the Maryland Ornithological Society is strongly against passage of the legislation. He predicted placing the overhead transmission lines will fragment the unbroken forests in these wildlands for already declining bird species populations that live inside forest interiors. 'Trees are felled along the line, and vegetation below the lines is permanently suppressed. Support roads destroy and fragment additional forest,' he noted. Also the forests are vital for the other creatures living there—native brook trout and a rare mammal called a fisher, which is related to weasels and otters. A fisher in a tree. 'The proposed transmission line corridor through Western Maryland is part of a larger project to meet the exclusive demands of data centers in Northern Virginia,' Garrett County Forestry Board Chair Will Williams stated in testimony. The board promotes stewardship of Maryland forests. 'There is no map of the exempted transmission line routes being proposed by the bill. There has been no determination that these high-voltage electric lines will serve the interests of the State and its people when there are other forms of energy to be considered that are less intrusive,' Williams added. Brent Walls, riverkeeper at the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, subjected a two-page letter objecting to the legislation that would enable NextEra to 'cut a 200 foot path through' Maryland wildlands, "fracturing the vitality.' Furthermore, passage of the legislation would 'undermine the integrity of legislation that has been in place for 52 years and set a precedent that any for profit company can legislate a taking of Wildlands.' Another opponent was Dawn Beitzel, from Engage Mountain Maryland, who echoed concern about the infrastructure project causing 'irreversible impacts on wildlife habitats, water quality, and the natural beauty that defines these areas' as well as disrupting migrating species, forever changing landscapes and introducing invasive species. 'Additionally, there are alternative routes and technologies available to deliver necessary energy infrastructure without compromising protected wildlands. Advancing such options would align with Maryland's commitment to conservation and sustainability while still meeting the state's energy needs,' Beitzel added. Opposing the Senate bill was Emily Tarsell, president of Health Choice Maryland: 'Our protected wild lands are protected for a reason. Invasions into these publicly held lands would set a bad precedent for the ability of public-private partnerships to engage in land grabs. The public would lose access to these protected sites while gaining nothing. Development of wild lands would be costly for electric consumers and a gift to private developers and corporate data centers.' David Mosher, of the Maryland chapter of Sierra Club, submitted detailed testimony outlining a series of negative outcomes if enacted. His contentions included the following: 'Our Wild Lands are a significant source of revenue to the State. Wildlife are critical to Maryland's tourism industry. Wildlife watching in Maryland generates over $450 million in economic activity annually in the State each year. This proposal could lead to revenue losses to local businesses and municipalities of millions of dollars.' Delegates gather on the floor in the House Chamber for a session of the Maryland General Assembly As of March 26, the bills continued to move through and gain steam as they winded through both chambers. HB1270 was in its 3rd reading. The Senate version (SB 399) had sailed through to the 1st reading in the opposite chamber. If passed by the legislature and enacted by Gov. Wes Moore, either bill would become law Oct. 1.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hearing held on bill to change state wildlands designations
ANNAPOLIS — Distrust and lack of transparency were repeatedly mentioned as one bill after another in the Maryland House Thursday addressed land protections threatened by power companies. Several hearings were held before the Economic Matters Committee including for HB1270, sponsored by Del. Jim Hinebaugh and cross filed with Sen. Mike McKay's SB0399. The legislation aims to strip wildlands designation from Big Savage Mountain Wildland, Bear Pen Wildland and Dan's Mountain Wildland for NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic to build new overhead transmission lines. Hinebaugh said the electrical pylons would carry high-voltage current for roughly 105 miles over land from southwestern Pennsylvania to Virginia. 'More specifically of our interest, it'll run through Garrett and Allegany' counties, he said. Hinebaugh said farm bureaus in Garrett and Allegany counties as well as the state endorse HB1270, but added he doesn't believe 'anybody wants to have a new power line going through their area.' Construction of the transmission line is 'a pretty sensitive issue,' Hinebaugh said. 'I knew it was going to be very controversial and stir up a lot of emotions,' he said. 'I tried to look at the big picture and not just look at my district in particular,' Hinebaugh said of regional electrical demands. 'I'm convinced that this is absolutely necessary.' Friday, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Media Relations Manager Gregg Bortz said the organization hasn't taken a stance on the bill. 'The department is monitoring this legislation and does not have a position at this point,' he said. 'Very gun-shy'Questions from the Economic Matters Committee included whether the proposed project in the wildlands would be illegal and/or jeopardize funding on a federal level. A policy note on HB1270 from DNR 'advises that state wildlands are partially managed using federal grant monies received under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.' According to DNR, 'the bill may jeopardize a portion of the funding it receives annually under the act because it would permit the installation of overhead transmission lines on land that is currently part of existing state wildlands.' Del. Jesse Pippy said HB1270 has some support as well as opposition whereas 'everybody is unanimously against' plans for the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project that proposes to construct a high-voltage electricity transmission line across roughly 70 miles of land in Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. 'I'm very gun-shy about supporting any bill related to a transmission line at this point because the last nine months have been nightmarish in Frederick County dealing with this transmission business,' he said. 'But it was interesting to see that you do have support from elected officials ... that is in stark contrast to what we're dealing with.' Route pushbackT. Lee Beeman, Allegany County's attorney, testified at the hearing on behalf of the county's three-member board of commissioners. 'At this point and time the commissioners aren't supportive of this exact route,' Beeman said. 'But they are supportive of the legislation that's necessary to have this route be considered and to ultimately voice their opinion through the (Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity) process where they believe it would be most appropriate.' He said the commissioners support the bill because infrastructure to support data centers is necessary. 'It has to go somewhere,' he said. Discussions with NextEra have included consideration of a new substation in Allegany County, Beeman said. Violates COMARGarrett County resident and farm owner Steve Storck testified against the legislation. 'I've spent the last 40 years teaching people about stewardship of wild and natural places and providing data products to help inform policy and protect and preserve them,' he said. '(HB1270) is a direct affront to that work.' Policy notes attached to the draft include 'all the things wrong with this bill,' Storck said, adding that the proposed law violates the resource protection statue in the Code of Maryland Regulations. 'The more I learn about this bill ... it's likely a concession or some other downstate interest,' he said.
