Gov. Wes Moore forms task force to review Maryland data center proposals
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has issued an executive order to create an interagency task force responsible for reviewing all proposed data center projects in the state. This task force will operate a public dashboard to track environmental impacts, energy use, and economic terms, and the order bans state executive departments from entering into non-disclosure agreements with developers. Local agencies, however, retain final approval authority and can still use NDAs.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has established an interagency task force via executive order to review all data center proposals across the state. The task force, comprising representatives from seven state agencies, will publish its findings on a public dashboard. This dashboard will monitor key metrics such as energy consumption, economic impact, environmental protections, developer transparency, and community engagement.
A significant component of the executive order is a ban on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) between state executive departments and data center developers, aiming to increase public access to deal terms. However, local agencies still maintain final decision-making power over projects and are not subject to the statewide NDA ban.
The creation of this task force follows a period where over half of Maryland's jurisdictions have already implemented moratoriums on new data center projects to conduct impact studies. While the state task force will provide guidance and rate projects based on adherence to outlined principles, it will not override local control.