Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-12-01


The woman delegate says there
may be a special session called
either before or after the regular
February gathering to consider
Baltimore Harbor problems and
she states she hopes the special
meeting can be held before the
PEPCO option expiration, so that
the power plant question can be
discussed also.
PEPCO says it wants to build
a $1O0,000,000 steam generating
plant on the Potomac in Loudoun
County. A storm of protest from
Montgomery County civic and
citizens groups and PTAs met the
power company announcement.
The county groups charge that
most of the new plants output
will be used in Maryland but the
plants estimated yearly tax bill
of between $4,000 and 100000
will be paid to Virginia jurisdic.
ton.
Maryland officials, led by Coun.
ty Manager M. L. Reese, have
Joined the fight and attempted to
change PEPCO's mind.
Still a third faction is urging
that the plant be built somewhere
else entirely. They state that
steam generating plant on the Po-
tomac would lead to unwelcome
industrialization of an area, now
mostly residential and agricu1-
! tural.
Mrs. SchWeinhauts suggestion
that the legislature go into spe.
cial session to discuss the fight is
the first to bring the State gov.
eminent into the fracas. Mary
land claims jurisdiction over the
river to the low water mark on
the Virginia shore. However.
Mrs. SchWeinhaut holds, There
is serious legal question as to
whether or not Maryland can pro-
hibit neighboring State from
using Potomac water"
The theory of riparian water
rights, generally accepted in the
east, permits use Of water by par.
ties bordering the river provided
the water is returned undiminish-
ed. Though the new PEPCO
plant is expected to use a great
deal of river water to cool its
equipment. the water would be
returned to the river.
Mrs. Schweinhaut says the loss
of tax money to Montgomery
County resulting from PEPCO's
plant being built in Virginia is
not sufficient reason to ask the
State Legislature to consider the
problem. However" she says,
II think they should consider IT
because it is something that
affects the health and welfare
Of the people in this entire area"
The woman delegate also be-
lieves that the Federal Govern
ment should take a hand in
solving the PEPCO squabble.
"T'his is a perfect situation for
Federal intervention" she states.
after all, the District of Colum.
bia will be affected by the PEPCO
plant and the Federal Govern.
ment is charged with the respon.
sibility Of caring for the District.
! think they should accept that
responsibility. The time for ac.
ccpting it has long since passed"
The Army Engineers have
charged that the new power plant
will raise the temperature of the
water in the river as much as ten
degrees and tend TO increase the
bacteria content Of the water
above the intake of the Washing.
ton water supply.
Mrs. Schweinhaut has written
to PEPCO president r. Roy Dunn
requesting a meeting. She says
he is out of town.
In her letter, Mrs. Schweinhaut
states. 1T has occurred 10 me
that by reason Of the present dis.
satisfaction throughout Mont.
gomery County in regard to the
proposed plant in Loudoun Coun.
ty PEPCO may be in danger of
losing that valuable commodity
known as good will. Such a loss
would be great disservice to
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