Baltimore City Council bill would pause data center development for one year

The Baltimore City Council is considering a bill that would enact a one-year moratorium on data center development within the city. The proposed pause is driven by concerns from city leaders and residents over the impact of these facilities, specifically citing skyrocketing energy bills for ratepayers, potential unknown health problems, and the argument that data centers do not attract housing or businesses. This initiative comes shortly after the Maryland Office of the People's Council called for an investigation into a BGE transmission line project linked to the Baltimore Peninsula, and State Senate President Bill Ferguson introduced a bill to block data centers at the same site. A council member emphasized the importance of taking a "time out" to assess the best use, placement, and overall desirability of data center technology for the city. BGE, in a statement, affirmed its commitment to ensuring large load customers pay their fair share for grid upgrades and to studying the grid impacts of data center projects. The City Council plans to hold an informational hearing on the community impacts of data centers before proceeding with a final vote on the proposed moratorium.