Southern Maryland News’s Enquirer-Gazette reported on May 16 by journalist, Paul Lagasse, “Customer bows out of Dominion pipeline project” per the image caption “Dominion Energy Cove Point LLC announced last week that Mattawoman Energy LLC is no longer a customer for natural gas to be delivered by Dominion’s Cove Point Pipeline. Dominion declined to elaborate whether the decision was related to the company’s recent decision to cancel the construction of a compressor station in Bryans Road, shown here in an artist’s conception.” If you are subscribed, you should be able to access the story here or contact them about hard copy here or go to your local public library where they should have a copy.
The story tells us that Dominion will not build the proposed compressor station in Bryans Road due to opposition by many local residents. The report describes Mattawoman Energy Center as a 990-megawatt natural gas power plant that’s being proposed “near Brandywine” (though it is in Brandywine less than 1/2 mile from the post office and the Brandywine Elementary School. Further it correctly states, “The proposal has come under criticism from nearby residents because there are already three power plants operating nearby, at Chalk Point, Cedarville and the newest plant in North Keys, just a mile away from the Mattawoman Energy site. Just under three-quarters of Brandywine’s residents are African American, which has led opponents to raise environmental justice concerns over the siting of the power plants there.”
Mattawoman Energy is still planning to move forward with their huge power plant in Brandywine. A public meeting will be held this summer and there will be meetings with the Greater Baden Acquasco Citizen’s Association and North-Keys Civic Association in June.