Calvert County Commissioners to Vote on Data Center Moratorium Public Hearing
Calvert County Commissioner Mike Hart is pushing for a vote on a public hearing for a data center moratorium, following two failed attempts. This initiative is backed by a local petition with over 7,000 signatures. The Board of County Commissioners will vote on June 19 to decide whether to schedule the public hearing.
Calvert County Commissioner Mike Hart has reintroduced a proposal to consider a moratorium on new data center development, following previous unsuccessful attempts. At the June 9 Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting, Hart requested that a vote on a public hearing for a moratorium be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
This push is supported by a local petition that has garnered over 7,000 signatures from residents concerned about data center expansion in the county. Commissioner Hart and Commissioner Catherine Grasso have advocated for a temporary pause to allow officials to conduct further research and seek external expertise regarding data center impacts. Citizen Cathy Decker, representing Calvert Citizens for Student Safety & Responsible Development, referenced a recent Baltimore City Council bill that enacted a one-year pause on data centers consuming 10 megawatts or more, questioning why a rural county like Calvert would proceed without similar protections. The BOCC is scheduled to vote on June 19 on whether to announce the public hearing, which is a required initial step before a moratorium can be passed.