City legislation would pause data center construction

The Baltimore City Council held a two-hour public hearing regarding a proposed one-year moratorium on data center construction within the city. The legislation, which is not an outright ban but a temporary pause, defines data centers in terms of use and power, specifically targeting facilities of 10 megawatts or more. The purpose of the moratorium is to provide the city with time to study the impacts of data centers and integrate them appropriately into the zoning code, addressing concerns related to ratepayers, the environment, and water resources. During testimony, officials from the Steamfitters Union supported the idea of a study but suggested it could be completed more quickly, noting that data centers provide 100 to 150 jobs for their members. They also addressed water usage, stating that modern closed-loop and air-cooled systems consume significantly less water than older designs. Some speakers advocated for a complete ban, while others found the 10-megawatt threshold too high. Council Member Felicia Porter questioned exemptions and the inclusion of academic institutions, citing examples like two Johns Hopkins projects, one of which Hopkins clarified is not a data center, and another existing state-funded data center expansion at Bayview that is under the proposed 10-megawatt limit. Porter emphasized the need for robust protections for Baltimore City residents.