Frederick lawmakers urge federal government to use existing corridors for major infrastructure
Frederick County lawmakers are asking U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to prioritize highways, railroads and existing utility corridors before routing major new infrastructure across undeveloped land.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
Frederick County lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. They want existing transportation and utility corridors considered before new routes. The delegation cited farms, conserved land, forests and businesses as areas that could be affected by new infrastructure. Folden and Pippy specifically referenced the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project. MPRP is a proposed high-voltage transmission line crossing Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. The project remains under Maryland Public Service Commission review.
Members of Frederick County’s delegation to the Maryland General Assembly are asking the federal government to place more emphasis on existing transportation and utility corridors when planning major infrastructure projects.
In a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the lawmakers expressed support for the federal America’s Great Corridors of Commerce initiative and argued that existing highways, rail lines, transmission corridors and other previously disturbed rights-of-way should be considered before new routes are created.
The delegation said Frederick County contains working farms, conservation land, forests and family-owned businesses that can be affected by large infrastructure projects.
Their argument is that making greater use of existing corridors could reduce impacts on private property and potentially reduce infrastructure costs.
MPRP cited as example
State Sen. William Folden and Del. Jesse Pippy specifically pointed to the proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.
The project is a proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line spanning roughly 67 to 70 miles through Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. Frederick County’s official project page says the project would connect northern Baltimore County to the existing Doubs substation in southern Frederick County.
PSEG Renewable Transmission has applied to the Maryland Public Service Commission for the certificate required to construct the line. The PSC established a schedule that continues the regulatory review into 2027.
Frederick County officials have publicly opposed the project’s current route, citing potential impacts on homes, farms, businesses, historic resources and conserved land.
The legislative delegation argues that the controversy surrounding MPRP illustrates why existing corridors should receive greater consideration before utilities or government agencies pursue new routes across previously undisturbed properties.
What the delegation is asking for
The lawmakers are not asking the federal government to approve or reject MPRP through this letter.
Instead, they are asking federal officials to include communities such as Frederick County in broader discussions about infrastructure planning and to prioritize previously developed corridors where feasible.
The MPRP itself remains under review by the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Frederick County does not have final authority to approve or deny the project, though the county is participating in the state process and has formally opposed the proposed route.
WHAT IT MEANS
The delegation’s letter broadens the MPRP debate beyond one transmission project.
The lawmakers are arguing for a general planning principle: when large infrastructure has to be built, government and utilities should first examine routes already occupied by roads, rail lines or utility corridors before creating entirely new paths.
Whether that approach is technically feasible in any specific project would still depend on engineering, environmental, regulatory and cost considerations.
What Happens Next
MPRP will continue through the Maryland Public Service Commission review process.
The federal letter does not change that proceeding, but it asks the U.S. Department of Transportation to incorporate Frederick County’s concerns into broader infrastructure-corridor policy discussions.
Original reporting referenced by Everything Frederick:
WFMD — Reporting by Jimmy Key; Frederick County Government; Maryland Public Service Commission →Want more Frederick updates like this?
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