Maryland border county outright bans data centers
Harford County, Maryland, has unanimously voted to ban data centers within its borders, with the County Executive signing the legislation into law. This decision follows concerns over the potential strain on the county's electricity grid and its impact on residents' quality of life. The ban ensures that data centers will not be approved administratively or through future zoning interpretations.
Harford County, Maryland, which borders York County, Pennsylvania, has enacted a ban on data center developments following a unanimous vote by the county council and subsequent signing into law by County Executive Bob Cassilly. The decision came after a public hearing and extensive research into the experiences of other communities with large-scale data center development.
County Executive Cassilly stated that data centers are not in Harford County’s best interest, citing that a single hyperscale data center could consume enough electricity to power over 100,000 homes, potentially doubling the county's residential electricity demand and increasing energy bills. Maryland law, unlike Pennsylvania, does not require every possible land use to be provided, which enabled Harford County's outright ban. The new legislation will prevent data centers from being approved through administrative processes or future zoning interpretations.