Power Project Intrudes

PSEG’s Latest Motion Seeks to Ban Hunting on Private Land

A $40 billion New Jersey company thathas not yet received approval to build its 500 kV transmission line in Maryland is once again overstepping its bounds—this time by trying to dictate how Marylanders can use their own property.

On October 24, PSEG Renewable Transmission LLC filed a motion in federal court asking a judge to prohibit landowners from hunting on their own land during periods when the company has given notice that it plans to conduct surveys for the proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP).

PSEG claims that hunting on noticed survey days poses a “safety risk” to its surveyors and wants the court to bar all hunting or even the leasing of hunting rights during those periods. Even more concerning, PSEG is asking the court to require landowners to email the company to request permission to hunt on their own property—and to wait for PSEG’s response before doing so.

This comes after months of legal action in which PSEG has sued Maryland landowners to force access to private property against their wishes—an action Stop MPRP, Inc. believes violates the Fifth Amendment protections for private property rights. Those lawsuits resulted in a federal court ruling allowing survey access before the project has even been approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission. That ruling is now under appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, where the case remains pending.

Until the Fourth Circuit rules on the appeal, PSEG continues to use the courts to do its bidding—seeking to expand its authority over private land and to restrict how property owners use their own farms, forests, and fields.

For many rural families, hunting is more than tradition: it provides food for the table and income through leased hunting rights. If granted, this motion would not only restrict those rights but could also create a nationwide precedent allowing developers in other states to limit hunting or similar activities on private property under the same circumstances.

The timing could not be worse. Many Maryland families are already facing financial strain from the federal government shutdown—including federal employees missing paychecks and farmers losing access to critical USDA programs and payments. Yet PSEG, a corporation headquartered in New Jersey, continues to pursue legal actions that deepen that hardship and infringe on fundamental rights.

Stop MPRP, Inc. exists to support Maryland landowners impacted by this project. Our legal and organizational efforts are focused on stopping the proposed MPRP, protecting property rights, helping those who have been sued, and ensuring that no Marylander is left to face this fight alone.

For those who wish to help, tax-deductible donations to the Landowner Legal Defense Fund—administered by The Institute for Preservation and Progress (TIPP)—support the ongoing legal appeals and defense efforts on behalf of affected landowners. Learn more or donate here.

Stop MPRP, Inc. will continue to oppose these overreaching tactics and help Marylanders defend landowners’ constitutional rights. We encourage everyone who values property rights and rural freedom to stay informed, share this story, and stand with us in opposing this project.