Questions raised on permit to Musk
Federal lawmakers from Maryland dubious about Hyperloop project
WASHINGTON – Five members of Maryland’s congressional delegation are pressing Gov. Larry Hogan to provide more information about the high-speed transit system called Hyperloop that entrepreneur Elon Musk wants to build between Baltimore and Washington.
Maryland officials in October granted permission for Musk’s company, The Boring Co., to dig tunnels under the Baltimore-Washington Parkway even as fundamental questions remain about federal and local oversight of the multibillion-dollar project.
“While the Hyperloop is an exciting project that has the potential to transform transportation along the entire U.S. East Coast, it is also a project that would utilize a wholly new technology and could have significant impacts on our constituents,” the lawmakers — all Democrats — wrote in their letter.
The federal lawmakers asked the Hogan administration to respond to 15 questions by April 20, inWilkins-Arnold served cluding why the state as Willey's Girl Scout granted a routine utiltroop leader, and she has ity permit to begin a son and daughter who work on a project that are around the same age Musk’s company describes as an “ultra as Willey. She recalled a high-speed underground public transGirl Scouts trip many portation system in which passengers years ago when one of the are transported on autonomous electric other scouts said that pods traveling at 600-plus miles per Jaelynn Willey was a dedicated swimWilkins-Arnold's son was hour.” mer, a loving sister and known for making “hot.”
The lawmakers asked whether the the most delicious chocolate chip cookies. Willey commented that must mean the state conducted any environmental So when mourners filed into a prayer boy has a fever and the girls should review before granting the permit and service honoring Willey's life on Thursday probably stay away. whether it performed any engineering afternoon, they passed shadow boxes full of "That captures her total sweetness and analysis to ensure that the tunneling ribbons that celebrated her swimming innocence," Wilkins-Arnold said. does not compromise the highway. victories. They watched a photo montage of In the funeral program, Willey’s family
The Maryland attorney general’s Willey smiling with her siblings. And wrote that she was “a vibrant, beautiful and office also has questioned the state’s use everyone received a card with Willey's "best sweet teenager who was evolving into a of a utility permit in January. ever" chocolate chip cookie recipe written beautiful young lady.” She lovingly cared for
Erin Henson, a spokeswoman for the out. her younger siblings and treasured her time Maryland Department of TransportaThe 16-year-old girl was fatally wounded hanging out with friends. tion, dismissed those concerns. last week during a shooting at Great Mills She recently went shopping for a dress to
“We are not sure why the congresHigh School. But those gathered Thursday wear to her first prom. sional members are asking about apdid not come together to think about the But the dance is the kind of milestone the provals from the federal government violent way Willey died. 10th-grade girl will never experience. Last that they oversee or the reason for Instead, they remembered the records week, the St. Mary’s County sheriff’s office questions about I-295 that has no she broke on the swim team, the academic said, 17-year-old Austin Wyatt Rollins connection to the loop project,” Henson accolades she earned and the gentleness walked into Great Mills High School and said in a statement. “Maryland is open she brought into all aspects of her short life. shot Willey once in the head with his
“Everyone who ever came in contact father’s Glock 9 mm. to innovation, and we hope they’ll join
with Jaelynn walked away thinking, ‘Wow, The bullet, fired just minutes before class us.” that was a beautiful soul,’ ” said Michelle started, also struck a 14-year-old boy in the
City officials inleg.Washington,D.C.,Morren,whosedaughterwasalongtime also granted Musk’s company a building friend of the girl. Rollins was then confronted by a school permit last year for a site along New Hundreds of people from the close-knit resource officer. The two fired their weapYork Avenue. community in Southern Maryland showed ons simultaneously, with Rollins fatally
It’s not clear that any work has begun up for the service Thursday. Before the shooting himself in the head and the officer on the project. The company only last doors to the Hollywood Volunteer Fire shooting Rollins in the hand. week revealed the proposed route for Department had even opened, dozens of Willey died at about 11:30 p.m. March 22. the Hyperloop between Washington mourners were already in line to pay their The sheriff’s office said she and Rollins and Baltimore. respects. Many dressed in black, while had “a prior relationship which recently
The letter is signed by Sens. Ben others wore the green and gold colors of ended.” Cardin and Chris Van Hollen as well as Great Mills High School. Melissa Willey, her mother, walked up to Reps. Elijah E. Cummings of Baltimore, Willey's flower-draped casket was at the the microphone at Thursday’s prayer servJohn Sarbanes of Baltimore County, front of a large hall, banners emblazoned ice holding her youngest child. It was Anthony G. Brown of Prince George’s with “Great Mills Hornets” on either side. reminiscent of the scene at the University of County and Del. Eleanor Holmes NorWhile leading the service, the Rev. Maryland Prince George's Hospital Center ton of the District of Columbia. Meredith Wilkins-Arnold told the crowd a week ago, when Melissa Willey told they should hold their favorite stories of reporters that her daughter was brain-dead Willey close to them as they try to heal. and would be taken off life support. Larry Hogan Jaelynn Willey