MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The state Public Service Commission says it will make a decision on the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) transmission line project by March 2027.
The MARL is the 107.5-mile, 500-kilovolt transmission line proposed to pass through several West Virginia counties on its way from Pennsylvania to Maryland. NextEra Energy Transmission is seeking a siting application from the PSC.
West Virginians Against Transmission Line Injustice (WATI) President Tony Campbell announces the group will hold a series of meetings to provide updates and assist people in becoming interveners in the process.
“We’re doing a series of clinics or workshops to update people on the status of the MARL,” Campbell said. “The Public Service Commission has now posted some very important dates.”
Landowners and concerned citizens can become interveners and have access and, in cases, can cross-examine the parties involved in the case. Intervener status can be earned by making a request to the PSC, and when granted, interveners can also request information from the utility and give their testimony to the three-judge PSC panel.
“Providing your contact information and a date, you send it off, and it’s up to the Public Service Commission to say yes or no,” Campbell said. “But if you’re an impacted landowner, they’ll have a hard time saying ‘no’ to you.”
MORE See PSC MARL schedule here
Interveners have access to filings made by all parties through the course of the case schedule. At the completion of the process, interveners have rights that allow them to provide input or contest the final decision with a petition.
Residents can apply for intervener status until June 1.
“If the Public Service Commission decision is adverse or they approve the MARL, then only interveners have the right to petition the results or challenge the decision,” Campbell said.
The PSC has requested additional information from NextEra Energy Transmission about the project on three separate instances. Campbell said those requests have been due to unclear information about the route and cost.
Campbell said after the application was submitted to the PSC at the end of January, the online map of the route maintained by NextEra Energy Transmission was taken offline. The information has been replaced by several binders with the project details available for residents and ratepayers.
“They turned off their interactive map, so it’s almost impossible to know if you’re impacted or not,” Campbell said. “Now, they’ve sent maps to local libraries, and I’ve gone to those libraries, and it’s six binders.”
The comment period is open, and the members of WATI encourage members of the public to get involved in the process.
“What we’ve encouraged up to this point is sending your protest letters to the Public Service Commission, and I think we’re up to 4,000 letters now,” Campbell said. “We encourage people to call the governor’s office and call their delegates and senators—let them know.”
WATI will hold the following meetings:
In Mineral County at the Brookdale Farm in Fort Ashby on March 26 from 6 to 8 p.m.
In Slanesville at the Ruritan Building March 30 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and April 11 from 10 am to noon.
In Romney March 31 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
In Monongalia County at the Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department from 6 to 9 p.m.
In Capon Bridge at the Old Capon Bridge Middle School from 10 a.m. to noon.
In Preston County at the North Preston Senior Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
Get the complete PSC case schedule here.