The MPRP is a necessary infrastructure project to support the reliability and affordability of the energy Maryland residents need.

To advance the project, PSEG submitted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) application to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) in December 2024 using desktop GIS information from various applicable sources. Many projects in their planning stages, use available GIS data from applicable sources/agencies as this data is routinely updated and commonly available. Detailed field data is always best but often inaccessible when determining large linear projects.

Following that submission, the Power Plant Research Program (PPRP), acting as the routing/environmental review agency for the PSC, told the Project that the desktop GIS information would not suffice for them to review a project of this scope, and the Project needs to acquire detailed field data for them to complete their review.

PSEG tried to acquire temporary rights of entry to properties along the proposed route for the purposes of completing these field surveys, but we were unsuccessful in acquiring the amount of entry that was needed to get detailed field data.

This proposed project is for a public use and benefit and thus the project was able to acquire temporary access through the court ordered access* to some of the properties along the proposed Project route. The Court agreed that this temporary access was necessary to be able to respond to the requests of the PPRP.

PSEG is now completing the following surveys to be submitted to the PPRP upon completion. These surveys will help to align on a project route and access roads that avoids and/or minimizes impacts to environmentally sensitive areas.

More details on PSEG's proposal can be found here.

*PSEG RENEWABLE TRANSMISSION LLC, v. ARENTZ FAMILY, LP, et al., Case No.1:25-cv-01235-ABA, and PSEG RENEWABLE TRANSMISSION LLC, v. ALVI PROPERTIES, LLC, et al., Case No. 25-cv-2296-ABA

Next Steps

In the coming weeks, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, representatives working on behalf of PSEG and the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) will be accessing properties to conduct environmental and land surveys pursuant to court orders dated June 20, 2025 and September 2, 2005 in the United States District Court in the District of Maryland*.

Some important information you should be aware of:

• Our survey team will have badges identifying them as representatives of PSEG.
• Due to the need for and nature of the surveys, multiple visits to a property will be required, and may require multiple notifications.
• Landowners are NOT required to be home during the surveys, but we encourage an open dialog through the land agent for any questions or concerns
• Landowners will be provided the survey data and information as part of the permitting process.

Safety is our highest priority

To allow us to work safely and efficiently, we ask that you and anyone using your property, including children and pets, refrain from going near our activity zones. PSEG is committed to environmental stewardship and will work to minimize and mitigate the environmental impacts in accordance with applicable local, state and federal requirements.

In the event of accidental injuries to surveyors or surveyor equipment, property owners will not be held liable for any damages.

PSEG encourages communication with the individual property owners.  Please note that each property may have unique circumstances, and the site-specific schedule and activity will vary.  Please contact your Land Agent for additional information or call 833-451-MPRP (6777) to learn more about this project.

The upcoming survey activities may include, but are not limited to:

PROPERTY SURVEY – METES & BOUNDS

Metes and bounds are a system of describing property boundaries using distances & directions (metes) and features such as fences, stone rows and watercourses (bounds). Survey personnel under the direction of a licensed surveyor will walk the outbounds of subject property to locate property corners with global positioning system (GPS) equipment.  If the property corners are in a location where signals from a GPS satellite cannot be found, survey personnel will set control points out in an open area, on the subject property or a public road, and then use a total station, a survey measuring instrument, to traverse to that property corner.  These control points can be temporary and picked up when survey personnel leave the property.  There are a handful of very large properties, spanning 100-plus acres, where surveyors will not walk the entire property.  For these properties, the surveyors will stay close to the mapped extent of the proposed right of way (ROW). Surveyors will also collect GPS measurements on permanent features in or near the proposed ROW.  Such features include, but are not limited to, buildings, utilities, culverts, septic systems, storm/sanitary pipes, etc.  

As a note, metes & bounds are being performed and mapped prior to commencing the environmental surveys. This helps ensure the Project teams stay within the intended property boundary during the survey process.

ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS

The following environmental surveys will be focused along the project's proposed route and potential access roads:

FOREST STAND DELINEATION

A forest stand is a contiguous area that contains a number of trees that are relatively homogeneous or have a common set of characteristics.  A forest stand delineation is necessary to identify forest stand boundaries and specimen trees (trees with a diameter-at-breast-height of 30 inches or greater) in the Project Area. Teams will be carrying diameter tapes along with a tablet and GPS backpack system. Surveyed trees will be marked with chalk. No disturbance to the soil or vegetation is required for this field work. The work will take anywhere from less than an hour to a couple of days depending on the acreage of forests and number of trees onsite.

WETLAND DELINEATION

Wetland delineation will identify the boundaries of wetlands by digging 4-inch diameter holes with a handheld auger and identifying vegetation onsite. Any soil removed, to the extent possible will be returned to the hole from which it was dug. Teams will be equipped with an auger, tablet wand a backpack GPS system.  Wetlands will be delineated within the ROW and access roads, within an approximate 25-foot buffer around the ROW and access roads, and within a 300-foot buffer of known sensitive species habitat, where feasible.

As a note, the forest stand and wetland delineations are likely required to be completed and mapped prior to commencing archaeological and RTE (rare threatened and endangered species) surveys so that those surveys can be focused appropriately.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Archaeological surveys are necessary to identify and assess potential impacts on cultural resources, such as human artifacts, structures, or other cultural remains.  These surveys involve various methods to locate, document, and evaluate locations within the project's proposed area of potential effect.  Archaeological surveys could be one of two methods: pedestrian surveys or shovel test excavations. Pedestrian surveys are conducted in areas such as plowed fields where the exposed soil surface is visible. The archeological team will walk straight lines (sweeps) about 10 feet apart, back and forth, across the proposed project area looking at the ground to spot artifacts that are present on the surface. A shovel test will then be completed in the vicinity of the concentration. Shovel tests will occur in areas where soil visibility is poor. Shovel tests will generally be performed at 50-foot intervals in non-active farm areas and wooded areas along a grid over the proposed project area.

The team will carry shovels, a small handheld soil screen, and a GPS backpack system. Shovel tests will be approximately 1.5 feet in diameter and on average are about 18 inches deep. All test locations will be backfilled upon completion and will not be left open overnight. Depending on the extent of the proposed project area within the property, the work will take anywhere from less than one hour to several days.

As a note, PSEG is following the Miss Utility process prior to performing any shovel tests.

RARE AND THREATENED SPECIES (RTE) PLANTS AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT

Staff members will record and identify habitat types throughout the proposed project area noting vegetation, species and site features that could support the target RTE species. Suitable habitats will be mapped using a backpack GPS and tablet system. No flagging or equipment will be left onsite. No disturbance to vegetation or soil is required as part of this field work. The work will take anywhere from less than one hour to approximately 5 hours depending on the amount of suitable habitat onsite.  These surveys may require multiple site visits to complete the assessments to accommodate field conditions and required time-of-year study window requirements.