Amazon Explains Calvert Data Center Withdrawal, Says Decision Wasn’t Political
Amazon Web Services has withdrawn its proposed Calvert Technology Center in Calvert County, Maryland, citing internal infrastructure planning rather than local opposition. Despite the withdrawal, community members are continuing efforts to enact a six-month moratorium on data center approvals, with a public hearing scheduled by Calvert County commissioners.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has publicly explained its decision to withdraw from the proposed Calvert Technology Center campus in Calvert County, Maryland. The company stated that the exit was a business decision based on internal infrastructure planning and resource allocation, denying any political motivation despite significant local opposition and the recent election defeat of county commissioners who had opposed a pause on data center approvals.
The Calvert Technology Center would have been the county's first large-scale data center project, planning three campuses spanning 2,000 acres with an estimated 500 megawatts of power demand. The project had faced scrutiny and a recommendation from the Calvert County Environmental Commission for a 12-month moratorium on further approvals due to environmental concerns, including noise, water use, forest clearing, and impacts on threatened species.
Despite Amazon's withdrawal, local residents, including petition organizer Melissa Emmal, confirmed that their push for a data center moratorium would continue. The Calvert County commissioners are scheduled to hold a public hearing on August 18 to consider a proposed six-month moratorium on new data center site plan approvals, indicating that regulatory discussions around data center development remain active in the county.