Harford County becomes first in Maryland to ban data centers
Harford County, Maryland, became the first local government in the state to enact an outright ban on data center construction. The county council unanimously voted for the emergency legislation after a plan to build a data center on a local golf course came to light. The Maryland Tech Council has expressed opposition to the ban.
The Harford County Council in Maryland made history by unanimously voting to enact emergency legislation that outright bans the construction of data centers anywhere within the county. This decision makes Harford County the first local government in Maryland to implement such a ban. The legislative action was prompted by WBAL-TV 11 News learning of a plan to build a data center on the Mountain Branch Golf Course. The Maryland Tech Council has expressed strong opposition to the new legislation.
While several other cities and counties in Maryland have imposed temporary bans, Harford County's measure represents a permanent prohibition on data center development, marking a significant policy shift for the region.