Environmental panel present data center recommendations in Calvert

The Calvert County Planning Commission and Environmental Commission convened on April 15 in Prince Frederick, Maryland, at the direction of the Board of Calvert County Commissioners, to address public concerns regarding data center development. This meeting followed the county commissioners' April 7 vote, which rejected a motion to impose a two-year moratorium on data center applications by a 3-2 margin. Commissioner Mike Hart, who initially proposed the moratorium, emphasized the need for an independent study on environmental impacts before any application process begins. The Environmental Commission, which had previously advocated for the moratorium, presented a letter outlining its concerns. David Campbell, a member of the commission, highlighted that standard county site plan criteria might be inadequate for assessing data center compatibility, especially given the scale of proposed developments. Janette Wysocki, another environmental commission member, stressed the urgency of pre-application assessments for proposed data center locations in Lusby to protect the local ecosystem from potential impacts on wetlands, forests, and wildlife, as well as noise pollution. Jason Brinkley, the county’s planning and zoning director, confirmed the commissioners were aware of the environmental commission's letter prior to their vote. Amidst these discussions, Amazon Web Services has confirmed its exploration of a large data center complex near the Calvert Cliffs site, an area currently zoned for heavy industrial use. Carl Allwine, representing the Neighbors of Camp Canoy Road subdivision, voiced significant concerns about noise, which Planning Commission member James McQueen echoed as potentially the biggest community issue. The Planning Commission chairman, John Toohey, stated that the environmental group's input would be considered in drafting recommendations.