Posted on 08/04/23
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore homeowners, who have spent months fighting BGE's installation of external gas regulators, received a sign of support from City Hall on Thursday.
"The bill will ban the installation of external gas regulators," announced Councilman Eric Costello who plans to propose a measure calling for a citywide ban on external regulators.
Hundreds of homeowners are suing BGE in an attempt to stop the company's installation citing safety concerns.
"People hit regulators with bikes, with scooters, with baseball bats," a homeowner told council members at a hearing last month.
However, a BGE representative maintained that relocating the regulators from inside to outside homes is safer for its customers.
"Because in the event that a gas leak would occur, it would vent to the outside as opposed to dissipate inside the home," said BGE.
However, Costello and other council members seem less than convinced and vow there's enough support to pass a ban on any new installations of outdoor regulators citywide.
"The city council stands fully behind this legislation," said Council President Nick Mosby.
Homeowners, who are now suing BGE, say they're thrilled with the council's actions.
"This has never been about safety, it has always been about profits and bullying and, simply put, BGE thought they had free reign over Baltimore City," said homeowner Claudia Towles.