NEWS 04-28-26 Data Center Fight, Deadly Crash, School Board Voice, and a 6th District Pitch
News Clip4:06Everything Frederick LIVE!·Adamstown, Frederick County, MD·4/28/2026
Adamstown, MD residents have filed a petition for judicial review to challenge an air quality permit issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment. The permit allows 99 diesel generators at an Amazon data center, raising concerns about health, particulate matter, noise, and school safety for nearby residents. Residents requested additional mitigation measures that were not included in the permit.
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Gov: Maryland Department of the Environment
Residents in the Adamstown area of Maryland have initiated legal action by filing a petition for judicial review. This action challenges a state air quality permit granted to Amazon Data Services, which allows the installation of 99 diesel-fired backup generators at a data center located near Ballinger Creek Pike and Mount Road. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) issued the permit on March 25th.
The petition asserts that the MDE failed to adequately address concerns regarding health, particulate emissions, noise pollution, and safety for students at the nearby Carol Manor Elementary School, situated just over a mile from the data center site. Residents had previously requested specific mitigation measures, including HEPA filtration, real-time air monitoring, and noise reduction, during a public hearing; however, these measures were not incorporated into the final permit. MDE maintains that the permit includes science-based protections and that the generators are only intended for use during emergencies, testing, and maintenance.