PSC hearing set for May 20th on Dan’s Mountain Wind Force application 

The Maryland Public Service Commission has scheduled a virtual public comment hearing (via WebEx) for Wednesday, May 20 at 6:30 pm concerning an application for exemption filed by Dan’s Mountain Wind Force to locate turbines on the ridge in western Allegany County.

Chief Judge Ryan McLean has issued a notice which includes the instructions for participation on WebEx (there is an email for registering) or viewing on YouTube.

Comments may also be filed on the Commission’s website or sent by regular mail until May 29.

On January 14, 2020, Dan’s Mountain Wind Force, LLC (“Dan’s Mountain”) filed an Application for an Exemption from the requirement to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (“Application”) for the construction of the proposed 70 MW Dan’s Mountain wind energy generation facility located in Allegany County, Maryland (“the Project”) pursuant to Public Utilities Article, Annotated Code of Maryland (“PUA”) § 7-207.1. On February 24, 2020, pursuant to PUA § 7-207.1(a)(1)(ii)(4), the Public Service Commission of Maryland (“Commission”) determined a public comment hearing was necessary prior to considering Dan’s Mountain’s Application at a Commission Administrative Meeting. Accordingly, the Commission delegated the conduct of the public comment hearing to the Public Utility Law Judge Division.1

A hearing for public comment will be held in this matter on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, via virtual meeting, and the hearing will commence at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to speak at
1 A public comment hearing was initially scheduled for March 19, 2020, but was cancelled due to Governor Hogan’s declaration of a state of emergency in Maryland due to the emergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19.
the hearing, please send an email to psc.pulj@gmail.com by 12:00 Noon on Tuesday May 19, 2020 and indicate whether you are in favor of or opposed to the Application, or if you are neither for nor against the Application but would like to offer comments on the Application. Individuals that submit timely requests will receive an email with a link to the WebEx meeting. Additionally, the public comment hearing will be livestreamed on the Public Utility Law Judge Division’s YouTube Channel.2
Written comments may be submitted electronically or by first-class mail on or before May 29, 2020. Comments submitted electronically must be submitted through the Commission’s Public Comment Dropbox, which can be accessed through the Commission’s website at www.psc.state.md.us. Instructions for logging into the Public Comment Dropbox are located under the “Tools” section of the Commission’s website under the “Make a Public Comment” tab, which can be accessed via the following link: https://www.psc.state.md.us/make-a-public-comment/. Commenters utilizing the Public Comment Dropbox are required to complete a one-time registration, and you must utilize the maillog dropdown menu option and select Maillog No. 228173. If submitted by first-class mail, comments must be addressed to Andrew S. Johnston, Executive Secretary, Maryland Public Service Commission, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Only one copy is required. No public comments will be accepted after Friday, May 29, 2020.
The Applicant is hereby directed to:
 Once in each of the two successive weeks immediately before the evening hearing date:
2 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYK5mu0UMAUOqSQowRq2TIQ/
 Publish notice of the evening hearing, including the caption, maillog number, time, date, location, and the purpose of the hearing, and how to register to make comments as a display advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation throughout Allegany County, Maryland; and
 Post on at least two routinely used social media platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter, and use any other means of communications at its disposal to further notify Allegany County residents of the date, time, and location of the evening hearing and the date by which written public comments may be filed.3
 At least two weeks prior to the date of the evening hearing until the day after the evening hearing, post on its home website page (if the Applicant has a website) a notice of the evening hearing in a manner so that an individual need not click the link to determine the date, time, location, and purpose of the hearing, how to register to make comments, and the date by which written public comments may be filed.
 File a certificate(s) of publication and postings with the Commission on or before the date of the evening hearing.