Councilmembers Advocate for Pause on Data Center Development
Montgomery County Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink, along with community advocates, have introduced Expedited Bill 24-26 to establish a two-year moratorium on data center building permits. The proposed pause aims to allow the County to develop policies addressing environmental, energy, and community impacts before further data center projects proceed. A public hearing for the legislation has been held, attracting significant community interest.
Montgomery County Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink, supported by local residents and community advocates, held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss Expedited Bill 24-26. The proposed legislation seeks to implement a two-year moratorium on building permits for data centers across Montgomery County.
The primary goal of the moratorium is to allow the County sufficient time to formulate comprehensive policies addressing various concerns related to data center development, including water consumption, watershed impact, energy demand, utility costs, noise pollution, taxation, and labor standards. This pause would enable a thorough evaluation of environmental, infrastructure, and community impacts before any new data center projects are approved.
The public hearing for Bill 24-26 generated considerable interest from both residents and advocacy groups, many of whom participated in the day's proceedings. The bill, if enacted, would affect all future data center developments, including a specific proposed project in Dickerson.