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May 2025 Community Meeting Notes

Board Members Present: Corey Jennings (President), Michele Baskin (Secretary), Sadie Baker (Treasurer), Matt Williams, Sam Dye, Wynn Engle-Pratt (Vice President), Pete Morrill, Chris Billak

Staff member – Jennifer McKenzie

Total Attendees

~28; Zoom = 4; BPD = 3; BGE = 14; Odette Ramos

Start: 7:08

End: 8:50

Zoom Recording: Passcode: Yrfy8MU*

Votes:

  • Community vote to elect GRIA Board as a slate of officers
    • Called by: Sam Dye
    • Seconded by: Matt Williams
    • In Favor: 25
    • Oppose: 0
    • Abstain: 0
    • Vote Passes
  • Community vote to approve the members of the board for the 2025 to 2027 term
    • Called by: Peter Morrill
    • Seconded by: Wynn Engle-Pratt
    • In Favor: 28
    • Oppose: 0
    • Abstain: 0
    • Vote Passes

Agenda:

  • BPD
    • Last 28 day comparison, year over year: no homicides, rape, or shootings either year, no robbery this year compared to one last year, 2 aggravated assaults each year (1 roommate incident and 1 intoxicated person), 1 burglary this year compared to 0, 7 larceny (4 of them shoplifting from Walgreens) compared to 3 last year, 1 auto theft compared to 0 last year
    • Corey asks for information about Auto accidents or pedestrian strikes in Remington. BPD A – That is not data that is collected and reported in the existing database system, it has to be manually pulled from calls for service to find that information.
    • Frances asks Councilmember staff if there could be city funding to build a database to log health statistic type data that could include accidents and pedestrian strikes. A – Recognizes the mayor’s office representative and suggests that it can be discussed.
    • GRIA request is to bring this type of data to the next meeting
    • Sadie requests again to continue to monitor 26th and Sisson corner and the vacant building for illegal entry and squatting.
  • GRIA Board Elections
    • Overview of process:
      • 2 year terms for Board members that run from May 2025 – 2027
      • Office of President and Treasurer are term limited to 2 terms (4 years), all other offices and board members do not have term limits
      • Board Members must reside in Remington
      • Sadie Baker as Treasurer is in the middle of her 2 year term and is not up for election this cycle
    • Introduction of slate:
      • Chris Billak – President
      • Wynnona Engle-Pratt – Vice President
      • Samantha Horn – Secretary
      • Michele Baskin – Board member
      • Samantha Dye – Board member
      • Corey Jennings – Board member
      • Mauricio Lainez – Board member
      • Frances McGaffey – Board member
      • Peter Morrill – Board member
      • Matt Williams – Board member
    • First vote to elect as a slate – vote passes (see above)
    • Second vote to approve slate – vote passes (see above)
  • BGE Overhead Transmission Line Presentation
    • Project Overview
      • Amtrak’s Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program in Baltimore City necessitates the relocation of an existing segment of the BGE transmission line. 
      • Currently, the line runs underground; it will be moved overhead to accommodate the new tunnel’s path. 
      • Of the several alternatives BGE explored, the aerial path is the most cost-effective solution and thus will have the lowest impact on customer bills and adhere to Amtrak’s timeline.
      • The Maryland Public Service Commission has approved the project’s siting. 
      • The line energizes BGE’s Center Substation, which serves 46,493 residential and commercial electric customers in the immediate area.
      • This line sits just outside of the pathway of the current Amtrak pathway but in their right of way and BGE does not have to do anything with the line until they are told to do so (“we’ll get out of the way when they tell us to” from 70 year old contract)
    • Alternative Analysis
      • BGE performed feasibility studies and considered:
        • Two Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) underground routes
        • Combined HDD route and attached cables to CSX bridge
        • Overhead crossing
        • Microtunneling
        • Non-wired solution (battery storage) or (circuit retirement)
      • Factors considered: Customer Impact, Constructability, Schedule, Technology, Environmental, Cost-effective, Land Use, Voltage, Cable Size
      • Pros & Cons for each
    • Concerns brought up from last time
      • Risk of wildfires
        • BGE does not expect this work to contribute to or be impacted by wildfire risk. 
        • BGE has a comprehensive inspection and maintenance programs to keep BGE substations and right of ways clear of significant wildfire fuels such as trees and brush.
      • Overhead transmission and EMF – The scientific community and government agencies have reviewed EMF and human health studies over the past 50 years and have not concluded that EMF from the electric power system, e.g. house wiring, appliances, distribution lines, transmission lines or substations, cause adverse health effects. 
      • BGE Rates and Billing
        • Odette Ramos hammers the point that we “cannot have higher rates at all because of this project, because it is needed for the Amtrak project” not our fault, asks for a personal briefing from BGE
      • Proposed overhead route – includes new renderings
        • After exploring several alternatives, BGE determined that the overhead crossing is a better alternative that adheres to Amtrak’s program timeline while being the least disruptive to customers and the environment. 
        • Construction will only be on commercial and industrial property.
        • Minimal temporary road closures for community safety.
        • The proposed overhead crossing is approximately 800 feet long, from the BGE Center Substation to 560 West North Avenue.
        • This work requires the installation of four transmission monopoles, two on the west and two on the east, plus two end structures near the Center Substation fence.
    • Next Steps
      • Design is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025
      • Construction is projected for early 2026
      • Once new lines are active, will then need to pull old cabling out of the existing tunnel, Amtrak completes their cuts through existing tunnel in needed locations, and then fill in the remaining defunct tunnel somehow
    • Q&A
      • Q – Corey: At this time, has this project received all of the permits from the city needed to proceed? If the city does not provide you the necessary permits and developer agreement to build in this area, you will not be able to build overhead power lines, is that correct? In general, you have good community outreach, but no one came to us before going to the state commission and that is incredibly damaging to our relationship. BGE A: No. That is correct. 
      • Q – Barbara: It has been repeatedly stated that all of this is due to Amtrak and their needs, that we need to stick to their timeline, we need to defer to their needs, but what about the priorities and needs of the community? You are not speaking to us as a community with any interest in our needs. Please, when you come back, take that to heart and speak to us in kind. BGE A: (Head nods, no response)
      • Q – Frances: How are these overhead lines safe for tornados, hurricanes, etc? BGE A: Designs are engineered to handle 90-100 mph wind speeds (GRIA note – this is less than tornado and hurricane speeds), these critical lines are designed with redundancy to prevent failure or power loss
      • Q – Corey: Does Amtrak have a preferred selection for how this line would be routed based on what Frances said about weather concerns and the possibility of lines on the tracks below? Is there any way to use some of the Amtrak funds to bridge the funding gap between different designs? Amtrak A: They have no position. Have to assume BGE’s engineering design is sound. Realistically, the cost is not Amtrak’s to bear, only issue is get the lines out of the way.
      • Q – Sadie: It looks like you did not actually check to see if existing CSX bridge option is feasible, is that correct? BGE A: We looked at other area bridge scenarios (pedestrian bridge over the Patapsco) and the age of the CSX bridge (90-110 years old), and calculated the weight that needs to be attached to be significant. The option might require a bridge rebuild to strengthen the bridge to ensure stability. Also looked at the North Ave bridge, and had similar concerns there.
      • Q – Graham: We have a history of planned and unplanned outages in this neighborhood, will we have related impacts due to this construction? BGE A: For transmission projects like this, isolated circuits will be shut during off peak and no customer outages should be experienced.
      • Q – Dave: You stated the feasible use as 50-60 years, the bill increase would be 55-60 years, so what if something happens and they don’t last as long, do we still have to pay for it? If you get to do this once, you’ll get to do this every time. BGE A: Reality is we are an investor owned utility company, at the end of the day, these funding increases are to cover investments in capital improvements across the network, not individual projects.
      • Q – Chris: What date were you notified by Amtrak this work would be needed? Were any 3rd party consulting engineering design firms used? Does BGE have figures on impacts to property values (asked at prior meeting too), as the closest house is 300 ft? The stated two year delay on other options are due to design/build delays to flesh out those plans, does BGE have an arrangement to accelerate internally if a different design is selected? Has BGE built an overhead line next to anyone of you present while you have lived there? Amtrak A: We don’t know. BGE A: Yes we did, HBK, Power Engineers (WSP). Asked a 3rd party appraiser for this type of impact on a different project, and found an “infinitesimal difference” between those directly adjacent and those a block or two away. This was an Internal study and this instance is different because it is a new crossing. Yes we can. No.
      • Q – Councilmember Jones Office: When would BGE need to be out of the way? Amtrak A: Spring 2026
      • Q – Audience: What are you going to do if the Mayor says no? BGE A: It will have to be a state issue.
      • Q – Corey: What is the typical residential customer in your rate and billing increase calculations? Can we have costs for all the options and not just your preferred option? Take the costs that you provided to the public service commission and use that for estimates and give to us please. BGE A: Looked at all of BGE rate area to determine avg kwh charges (GRIA – note that this is the entire state basically)
      • Q – Dave: Why is it always the ugly option that meets timelines and gets pushed? BGE A: There are many factors that go into these decisions.
      • Q – Corey: Can you produce real renderings if I give you specific addresses for residents? Your locations were chosen where visual impacts would be less as compared to neighboring impacted residents. BGE A: Give us the locations.

Community Announcements:

  • Volunteer call out for flyer volunteers! Please reach out to Jen at volunteers@griaonline.org to take a flyering route next month!
  • Barbara at Church of the Guardian Angel – Thrift shop, runs 1st & 2nd Sat of the month, 10am – 2 pm, bring donations during open hours only, also seeking volunteers; Food Pantry, every Wednesday from 9 am – 10 am, need volunteers for delivery drivers and some muscle on Tuesday mornings to unload trucks (9:30 – 10:15ish)
  • Remington Brunch Club – Started back April 5th and then will be held every Saturday after that, 9:30 am to 2 pm, in front of Mount Royal, breakfast burritos and one other food vendor everytime
  • Mount Royal Soaps Night Markets – Starting April 18th, and then every 3rd Friday from 5 pm to 9 pm (April through November), includes food, vendors, free drinks!

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