We, the residents of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County, urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Maryland Public Service Commission, Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Talen Energy, and other relevant authorities to take immediate action to protect our communities from the continued operation of the Brandon Shores and H.A. Wagner power plants under the Reliability Must Run (RMR) agreement. While we acknowledge that the RMR agreement is necessary to meet current energy demands, these plants pose significant risks to our health, environment, and financial well-being. We call on local and state authorities to ensure a responsible and timely retirement of these plants, coupled with thorough site remediation and equitable distribution of costs. This petition responds directly addresses Docket Numbers ER24-1790 and ER24-1787, which are now the central cases related to the deactivation of these plants. These dockets are before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and involve filings made by the Talen Energy subsidiaries responsible for the power plants.

Who is impacted? The communities in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County are directly impacted by the ongoing operation of the Brandon Shores and H.A. Wagner power plants. These plants emit harmful pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), coal dust, coal ash, and benzo[a]pyrene, all of which exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular conditions and increase cancer risks. The removal of the SO2 monitor in Riviera Beach has left us without essential data on our local air quality, increasing concerns about the health risks we face. Additionally, the financial burden of maintaining these plants under the RMR agreement is disproportionately affecting BGE customers in our regions.

What is at stake? If these plants continue to operate without a clear and immediate plan for retirement and site remediation, our communities will continue to face significant health risks, environmental degradation, and rising electricity costs. The RMR agreement demands over $200 million annually to keep these plants operational, with these costs being passed on to Maryland ratepayers. Furthermore, the deactivation of these plants is expected to require $800 million in transmission upgrades, further increasing the financial burden on local residents. Without proper remediation, the site may remain a source of contamination, hindering future community development and use.

Why is now the time to act? The decisions made in the coming months will determine the future of our communities’ health, environment, and financial stability. We must demand that the Maryland Public Service Commission, Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), and Talen Energy prioritize our well-being by committing to a clear timeline for plant retirement, comprehensive site remediation, and fair distribution of costs.

Call to Action: We, the undersigned residents of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County, call on the Maryland Public Service Commission, BGE, Talen Energy, and other relevant authorities to:

• Provide a clear and immediate plan for the retirement of the Brandon Shores and H.A. Wagner power plants including specific timelines and accountability to that plan.
• Ensure comprehensive site remediation of all environmental impacts caused by power plants.
• Rezoning for the property for residential, recreational, and/or light commercial use and including conservation space to protect the environment and runoff into the Chesapeake Bay.
• Fairly distribute the financial burden of the RMR agreement and transmission upgrades, protecting residents living near the power plants from excessive costs. This burden includes continuing negative health impacts, suppressed home values, and rate increases to pay for the RMR.
• Install and maintain comprehensive air quality monitoring that ensure all significant air toxins generated by coal and fossil fuel burning are measured. Our community health is more important than the cost of such monitoring.
• Conduct study to support the publication of comprehensive health statistics for communities within a 5-mile radius of the power plants to assess the long-term health impacts and guide public health actions.