MD SB399

Exempts portions of the Big Savage Mountain Wildland (approximately 2,879 acres in Garrett County), Bear Pen Wildland (approximately 1,517 acres in Garrett County), and Dan's Mountain Wildland (approximately 4,047 acres in Allegany County) from wildland designation to allow construction of a NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic, Inc. overhead transmission line, contingent on obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity.

Requires the new transmission line to run parallel to the existing Potomac Edison transmission line and not disturb any area more than 200 feet from the Potomac Edison right-of-way, unless federal law or the Department of Natural Resources determines greater distance is necessary.

Mandates that the transmission line be designed in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources to minimize forest loss, fragmentation, and habitat impacts.

Requires applicants for certificates of public convenience and necessity to provide wildland impact mitigation guarantees, including acquiring replacement wildland acreage that is twice the size of acreage lost and developing a land conservation management plan supporting wildlife habitats.

Makes the Act contingent on a 120-day stakeholder process with public meetings, a 90-day Department of Natural Resources deliberation period, and the Secretary of Natural Resources recommending certificate approval; the Act is abrogated if the Public Service Commission approves an alternative route that avoids the wildlands or denies the certificate entirely.