'We should have a say': Neighbors push back on data centers at Baltimore County planning meeting
Baltimore County residents attended a Planning Board meeting to voice concerns about data center development, specifically a proposed 150-megawatt project in Woodlawn. Residents raised issues regarding environmental and health impacts, zoning, and energy use. The county currently has a pause on data center development while the Planning Board researches and prepares recommendations for the County Council.
Baltimore County residents packed the Jefferson Building in Towson to express their views on data center development during a Planning Board meeting. Over 50 speakers raised concerns about environmental and health impacts, zoning, and energy use, particularly in relation to a proposed 150-megawatt data center in Woodlawn.
Joshua Long, a Woodlawn resident and organizer, emphasized that his community, a minority and lower-to-middle class area, is disproportionately affected by the potential pollution and health risks. While not opposing AI and technology, Long and others argued that residents should have a greater say in development decisions.
Many speakers urged the Planning Board to prioritize public health over profit and to implement stricter regulations. Specific suggestions included requiring public disclosure of water and electricity usage, mandating that data centers be zoned only in industrial areas, and ensuring developers source 100% of energy from new renewable sources. The county enacted a pause on data center development in February to allow the Planning Board to research the issue and provide recommendations to the County Council by October 1.
Some residents also praised neighboring Harford County's efforts to ban data centers, viewing it as a model for community-centered decision-making in the face of similar development pressures across the state.